A6196 HCPCS Level II code: Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, each dressing
A6196 is the HCPCS code for “Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, each dressing” in CMS’s October 2026 release, in effect from Oct 1, 2026.
Official description
A6196Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, each dressing
Short description: Alginate dressing <=16 sq in
HCPCS · United States
Medicare details
The indicators CMS publishes with A6196 in its October 2026 file. They describe Medicare’s handling, not another payer’s.
- Medicare coverage
- Special coverage instructions apply
- Medicare pricing
- DMEPOS fee schedule – Surgical dressings (price subject to floors and ceilings)
- Type of service
- Surgical dressings or other medical supplies
- BETOS category
- Medical/surgical supplies
- Added
- Jan 1, 1997
Where A6196 sits
- 1A codesAmbulance, supplies and miscellaneous
- 2Active code A6196Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, each dressing
Source and release
- Data release
- HCPCS Level II · October 2026
- Effective date
- Oct 1, 2026
- Publisher
- CMS
This page is built from the HCPCS Level II catalog that Vero Codes reads when it suggests codes: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’s October 2026 release, imported from the publisher’s file and checked against it. The description, notes and structured data come from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
What does HCPCS code A6196 mean?
A6196 is the HCPCS code for “Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, each dressing” in CMS’s HCPCS Level II October 2026 release.
Does Medicare cover A6196?
CMS lists A6196’s Medicare coverage as “Special coverage instructions apply” and its pricing as “DMEPOS fee schedule – Surgical dressings (price subject to floors and ceilings)”. Coverage and payment still depend on the patient, the setting, the documentation and the payer.
Which HCPCS Level II release does this page use?
It uses CMS’s October 2026 release, in effect from Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026. It is a reference: confirm the code against the current list and the payer’s rules before you submit it.
Codes beside A6196
All A codesA6021Collagen dressing, sterile, size 16 sq. in. or less, eachA6022Collagen dressing, sterile, size more than 16 sq. in. but less than or equal to 48 sq. in., eachA6023Collagen dressing, sterile, size more than 48 sq. in., eachA6024Collagen dressing wound filler, sterile, per 6 inchesA6025Gel sheet for dermal or epidermal application, (e.g., silicone, hydrogel, other), eachA6154Wound pouch, eachA6197Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size more than 16 sq. in. but less than or equal to 48 sq. in., each dressingA6198Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size more than 48 sq. in., each dressingA6199Alginate or other fiber gelling dressing, wound filler, sterile, per 6 inchesA6203Composite dressing, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, with any size adhesive border, each dressingA6204Composite dressing, sterile, pad size more than 16 sq. in. but less than or equal to 48 sq. in., with any size adhesive border, each dressingA6205Composite dressing, sterile, pad size more than 48 sq. in., with any size adhesive border, each dressing