Revenue code 0250
Pharmacy (general)
The pharmacy line on a hospital bill: every drug given during the visit, from a single acetaminophen tablet to an IV antibiotic. On a summary bill it appears as one total. On an itemized bill it becomes a long list, and that list is where a great many hospital billing errors live.
Where this line goes wrong
Quantity errors are common and easy to prove
A drug charged ten times when it was given once, a full vial billed when a fraction was used, a medication you never received. The medication administration record (MAR) lists what was actually given and when. Ask for it and compare.
Hospital markups on ordinary drugs
Common over-the-counter medicines are charged at many times their retail price. That is a pricing choice, not an error, but if you are self-pay it is a line to raise when negotiating.
Drugs that need their own code go elsewhere
Expensive drugs should appear under 0636 with a specific HCPCS code, not lumped into 0250. If a very large amount sits under 0250 with no detail, ask for the itemization.
Want to know if this line is right on your own bill? Upload it to a free mediloop account. An automatic first look reads the charges and shows what looks worth questioning, usually in about a minute.
Check my bill for freeCheck it, then ask
- 1
Ask for the itemized bill and the medication administration record, and check every pharmacy line against it.
- 2
Look for duplicate lines, implausible quantities, and drugs you did not receive.
- 3
If self-pay, ask for the cash price on the pharmacy total or for the markup to be reviewed.
The full walkthrough for this kind of bill: Your bill came in above the estimate.
Upload the bill to a free mediloop account. An automatic first look reads the charges and shows what looks worth questioning, usually in about a minute. If you want a specialist to dispute it for you, it is a flat $129, refunded in full if the bill isn't lowered by at least $129.
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People also ask
Can I get the hospital to itemize the pharmacy charges?
Yes. An itemized bill lists each drug with its quantity and charge. Hospitals provide it on request; some states require it automatically.
Why was I charged for a medication I brought from home?
Some hospitals charge a handling fee for patient-supplied drugs, but a charge for the drug itself is an error. Ask for it to be removed.
Sources
This page explains a billing code in general terms. It is not a coding, legal or medical opinion about your bill, and the code descriptions are mediloop's own plain-English summaries, not the official CPT descriptors, which are owned by the American Medical Association. Whether a charge was correct depends on the record of your visit and your payer's rules.