HCPCS Code A9270: Non-Covered Item or Service and When Suppliers Use It

Short answer: HCPCS code A9270 has the descriptor “Non-covered item or service.” It is a billing placeholder for items a supplier knows Medicare will not pay for, used only when no specific code and no appropriate not-otherwise-classified (NOC) code exists. It does not make anything covered. In the CMS memorandum that defines this use, suppliers are told to use the specific HCPCS code with a GY or GZ modifier first, a NOC code with the modifier second, and A9270 last.

This guide is general billing-code information for supply and clinic staff. It is not coverage, billing or medical advice for any individual claim or patient.

What HCPCS code A9270 means

A9270 (also searched as “a9270 hcpcs code”, “hcpcs a9270” or “a9270 hcpcs”) is a HCPCS Level II code in the A-code range. Its descriptor is “Non-covered item or service.” CMS Program Memorandum B-01-58 (Change Request 1820, dated September 25, 2001, effective January 1, 2002) states that A9270 “will remain an active code and valid for Medicare” and carries the processing note “Only for use on bills submitted by DMEPOS suppliers.”

Two points follow from that wording. First, the code describes the claim line, not a product: it can sit in front of very different items because the only thing it says is that Medicare is not expected to pay. Noridian’s DME page on modifier GY lists hearing aids, most dental items and personal comfort items as examples of statutorily excluded items. Second, it is a Level II HCPCS code, not a CPT code. CPT codes are maintained separately; see HCPCS versus CPT codes for how the two systems differ.

How A9270 is used with GY and the NOC ladder

B-01-58 sets an order of preference for suppliers. In the memorandum’s words, the GY and GZ modifiers “should be used with the specific, appropriate HCPCS code when one is available.” Where no specific code describes the item, “a NOC must be used with either the GY or GZ modifiers.” Only where there is no specific code and no appropriate NOC code is A9270 “must be used by suppliers to bill for statutorily non-covered items and items that do not meet the definition of a Medicare benefit.”

1. A specific HCPCS code exists: bill the specific code with GY or GZ, as the situation requires.
2. No specific code, but a NOC code fits: bill the NOC code with GY or GZ. The memorandum requires a description of the item for NOC billing (item 19 on the paper claim form, or a claim-level note for electronic claims).
3. Neither exists: bill A9270.

The memorandum also says that, at carrier and DMERC discretion, claims submitted with the GY modifier may be auto-denied. Noridian’s Part A page on noncovered charges for outpatient claims (last updated April 23, 2024) applies the same idea for institutional claims: when no specific HCPCS code exists, submit A9270 “along with the appropriate modifier.” That page is for Part A providers, so a DME supplier should read the guidance of its own Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).

Modifier pairing: GY, GZ and GA

The modifier chosen says why the line is expected to be denied. The GY and GZ definitions below are quoted from B-01-58; the GA row paraphrases the memorandum.

Modifier	CMS definition	Notice status
GY	“Item or service statutorily excluded or does not meet the definition of any Medicare benefit.”	Statutory exclusion; Noridian’s Part A page says these lines are denied as beneficiary liable and that a notice is optional unless the provider’s conditions of participation require one.
GZ	“Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary.”	No advance beneficiary notice on file.
GA	Supplier expects denial as not reasonable and necessary.	Advance beneficiary notice (ABN) signed and on file.

The memorandum treats GZ and GA on the same item or service as an invalid combination that cannot be processed. For how liability shifts between the supplier and the patient, see the existing guides on modifiers GX, GY and GZ against GA and modifier GA and the ABN. Noridian’s DME page on modifier GY (last updated May 29, 2025) gives the purpose in one line: use it to obtain a denial on a non-covered service, so the denial is beneficiary liable.

Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions

For supplier, lab and clinic staff, the sources above reduce to a short checklist:

• Is there a specific HCPCS code? If so, A9270 is not the right starting point. Browse the families in HCPCS code modifiers and category guides such as the back brace code families.
• Is the item statutorily excluded, or only possibly not reasonable and necessary? That decides GY versus GZ or GA.
• Is a NOC code available? If so, attach the item description the memorandum requires.
• Which contractor’s guidance applies? Part A institutional guidance (such as Noridian’s) and DME supplier guidance are separate pages and can differ.
• Is the source current? B-01-58 is from 2001 and is a historical source; a later CMS manual or MAC article may have changed the rule. Confirm against current CMS and MAC guidance before relying on it for a live claim.

Product-category guides on this site, such as incontinence supplies and Medicare, show how the same covered versus non-covered line plays out for a specific supply type.

Common misunderstandings

• “A9270 means Medicare covers it.” No. The descriptor says the opposite: the item or service is non-covered.
• “A9270 is a CPT code.” No. It is HCPCS Level II.
• “Anyone can bill it.” B-01-58 limits it to bills from DMEPOS suppliers and states that it would no longer be accepted for items billed to carriers. That is a 2001 statement; check current rules.
• “It replaces the modifier.” The memorandum pairs the modifier with the specific or NOC code; A9270 is the last resort, not a shortcut.

FAQ

Does Medicare cover a CPT A9270?

No coverage comes through this code. A9270 is not a CPT code; it is a HCPCS Level II code whose descriptor is “Non-covered item or service,” and the sources above describe it as the code for items that are statutorily excluded or do not meet the definition of a Medicare benefit. Whether a given item is covered under a different, specific code depends on the applicable Medicare policy for that item.

Why are S codes not covered by Medicare?

S codes are a separate HCPCS Level II range, and A9270 is not one of them. ASHA’s HCPCS guidance says S codes are primarily used by private insurers to report drugs, services and supplies for which there are no national codes but for which the private sector needs codes for its policies, programs or claims processing. ASHA adds that Medicaid programs may also use them, that they are not payable by Medicare, and that providers should check with each payer about S codes. Because Medicare does not pay them, an S code is a different matter from A9270, which is a Medicare-recognized code whose descriptor says the item or service is non-covered.

Sources

• CMS Program Memorandum B-01-58, Change Request 1820, “Coding for Non-Covered Services and Services Not Reasonable and Necessary,” September 25, 2001 (checked November 1, 2026): CMS transmittal B0158.pdf. Historical; check current guidance.
• Noridian JF Part A, “Noncovered Charges for Outpatient Claims,” last updated April 23, 2024 (checked November 1, 2026): med.noridianmedicare.com.
• Noridian JA DME, “Modifier GY,” last updated May 29, 2025 (checked November 1, 2026): med.noridianmedicare.com.
• ASHA, “Speech-Language Pathology HCPCS Level II Codes” (note on S codes) (checked November 1, 2026): asha.org HCPCS Level II codes.