EM HCPCS Level II modifier: Emergency reserve supply (for esrd benefit only)
EM is a HCPCS Level II modifier: “Emergency reserve supply (for esrd benefit only).” It adds this detail to the code it is reported with.
Official description
EMEmergency reserve supply (for esrd benefit only)
Short description: Emer reserve supply (esrd)
HCPCS · United States
Medicare details
The indicators CMS publishes with EM in its October 2026 file. They describe Medicare’s handling, not another payer’s.
- Medicare coverage
- Special coverage instructions apply
- Added
- Jan 1, 1991
Where EM sits
- 1GroupHCPCS modifiers
- 2Modifier EMEmergency reserve supply (for esrd benefit only)
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 EM mean?
EM is the HCPCS code for “Emergency reserve supply (for esrd benefit only)” in CMS’s HCPCS Level II October 2026 release.
Where is EM in the HCPCS Level II list?
EM is listed under Modifiers.
Does Medicare cover EM?
CMS lists EM’s Medicare coverage as “Special coverage instructions apply”. 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 EM
All modifiersEAErythropoietic stimulating agent (esa) administered to treat anemia due to anti-cancer chemotherapyEBErythropoietic stimulating agent (esa) administered to treat anemia due to anti-cancer radiotherapyECErythropoietic stimulating agent (esa) administered to treat anemia not due to anti-cancer radiotherapy or anti-cancer chemotherapyEDHematocrit level has exceeded 39% (or hemoglobin level has exceeded 13.0 g/dl) for 3 or more consecutive billing cycles immediately prior to and including the current cycleEEHematocrit level has not exceeded 39% (or hemoglobin level has not exceeded 13.0 g/dl) for 3 or more consecutive billing cycles immediately prior to and including the current cycleEJSubsequent claims for a defined course of therapy, e.g., epo, sodium hyaluronate, infliximabEPService provided as part of medicaid early periodic screening diagnosis and treatment (epsdt) programERItems and services furnished by a provider-based, off-campus emergency departmentETEmergency servicesEXExpatriate beneficiaryEYNo physician or other licensed health care provider order for this item or serviceF1Left hand, second digit