HCPCS Level II · Specialty absorptive dressings
A6251: specialty absorptive dressing without border, pad 16 sq. in. or less
A sterile specialty absorptive wound cover, without an adhesive border, pad 16 sq. in. or less, billed per dressing.
Illustration, not the exact productAt a glance
- Billing unit
- Each (per dressing)
- Size band
- Pad 16 sq. in. or less
- Adhesive border
- Without an adhesive border
- PCSS products
- 1 line, 2 sizes
Official CMS descriptor
How CMS describes A6251
“Specialty absorptive dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, without adhesive border, each dressing”
- Code
- A6251
- Short descriptor
- Absorpt drg <=16 sq in w/o b
- Code added
- January 1, 1997
- Action effective date
- January 1, 2009
- Status in this file
- Active (no termination date)
PCSS products
What PCSS carries under A6251
PCSS suggests A6251 as the typical HCPCS category for these product sizes.
Super absorbent
Super absorbents
Sizes PCSS suggests A6251 for
- 2×2
- 4×4
PCSS's suggested HCPCS categories (July 2026) are for reference only, based on product type and pad size. It's a reference, not a coding determination. Confirm final coding with your billing staff.
General product information, not clinical advice.
Size band
Pad size sets the band
CMS splits this dressing type into 3 bands: pad 16 sq. in. or less, pad more than 16 up to 48 sq. in. and pad more than 48 sq. in. Multiply the pad's length by its width: a 4×4 in. pad is 16 sq. in., which falls in A6251's band (16 sq. in. or less).
Usual change frequency (LCD L33831)
- Super absorbents
- Up to once per day without a border; up to every other day with a border.
Listed for the PCSS product group, in PCSS's plain-words summary of the LCD.
LCD L33831(opens in a new tab)Medicare notes for A6251
PCSS has no code-specific Medicare notes for A6251. The documentation checklist covers what dressing orders and notes need to show.
Medicare details checked against CMS sources on October 6, 2026. Not billing, coding or legal advice.
Related codes
Specialty absorptive dressings: other codes
Codes PCSS carries open their own page; the rest open in the full lookup.
Questions
A6251: common questions
Answers draw on the CMS descriptor, PCSS's suggested codes and the Medicare notes on this page.
What is HCPCS code A6251?
A6251 is a Level II HCPCS code. Its CMS long descriptor reads “Specialty absorptive dressing, wound cover, sterile, pad size 16 sq. in. or less, without adhesive border, each dressing”, and its short descriptor is “Absorpt drg <=16 sq in w/o b” (October 2026 Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, CMS).
What does PCSS suggest A6251 for?
PCSS suggests A6251 as the typical HCPCS category for Super absorbent (2×2, 4×4). PCSS's suggested HCPCS categories (July 2026) are for reference only, based on product type and pad size. Confirm final coding with your billing staff.
How often are super absorbents usually changed under Medicare?
Under LCD L33831, the usual change frequency for super absorbents: Up to once per day without a border; up to every other day with a border.
What size range does A6251 cover?
A6251 covers a pad of 16 sq. in. or less. In the same series, A6252 covers a pad of more than 16 up to 48 sq. in. and A6253 covers a pad of more than 48 sq. in.
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