HCPCS J-Code and CPT Code Reference for Knee Gel Injections

When your doctor’s office submits a claim for a knee gel injection, two types of codes travel together on that claim: an HCPCS J-code that names the specific drug and an CPT code that describes the injection procedure itself. If you are sorting through prior authorization paperwork, an explanation of benefits, or an insurance denial, knowing these codes can save you hours.

This page gives you the correct J-code for every major FDA-approved hyaluronic acid (HA) brand and explains the two CPT codes used alongside them.

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What Is a J-Code?

J-codes are part of the HCPCS Level II coding system — a set of alphanumeric codes that Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurers use to track injectable and infused drugs. Think of a J-code as a drug’s unique billing fingerprint.

Every FDA-approved hyaluronic acid product for knee osteoarthritis has its own J-code, or in a few cases shares one with closely related products. When a practice bills your injection, the J-code tells the insurer exactly which drug was given. The quantity billed corresponds to the dose per visit.

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CPT Codes for Knee Injections

CPT codes describe the procedure — not the drug. For major joint injections (including the knee), there are two relevant codes:

CPT Code	Description	When It Applies
20610	Arthrocentesis, aspiration, and/or injection — major joint or bursa — without ultrasound guidance	Standard in-office gel injections placed by anatomical landmarks
20611	Same procedure — with real-time ultrasound guidance and permanent image documentation	When the provider uses ultrasound to confirm needle placement

On a typical claim you will see one CPT code (20610 or 20611) plus one J-code for the drug. The CPT covers the physician’s work of injecting; the J-code covers the drug cost. Some practices also add CPT 77002 (fluoroscopic guidance) as a separate line when fluoroscopy is used for needle positioning.

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Complete J-Code Reference: All HA Brands

The table below covers every currently approved hyaluronic acid product and one extended-release steroid product (Zilretta) that is frequently searched alongside them.

Brand Name	HCPCS J-Code	Injection Schedule	Notes
Durolane	J7318	Single injection	High-molecular-weight, single-injection HA
GenVisc 850	J7320	3–5 weekly injections	Lower-molecular-weight HA series
Hyalgan	J7321	3–5 weekly injections	Shares J7321 with Supartz and Visco-3
Supartz / Supartz FX	J7321	5 weekly injections	Shares J7321 with Hyalgan and Visco-3
Visco-3	J7321	3 weekly injections	Shares J7321 with Hyalgan and Supartz
Hymovis	J7322	2 weekly injections	Two-injection protocol
Euflexxa	J7323	3 weekly injections	Biofermentation-derived HA; no avian protein
Orthovisc	J7324	3–4 weekly injections
Synvisc	J7325	3 weekly injections	Shares J7325 with Synvisc-One
Synvisc-One	J7325	Single injection	Cross-linked HA; shares J7325 with Synvisc
Gel-One	J7326	Single injection	Cross-linked HA, single-injection product
Monovisc	J7327	Single injection	High-concentration, single-injection HA
Gelsyn-3	J7328	3 weekly injections
TriVisc	J7329	3 weekly injections
SynoJoynt	J7331	Varies	Verify current dosing with prescribing information
Triluron	J7332	3 weekly injections
Zilretta	J3304	Single injection	Not a hyaluronic acid product. Zilretta is an extended-release corticosteroid (triamcinolone acetonide). Included here because it is frequently searched alongside HA codes.

Verify before billing. CMS updates HCPCS codes annually. Always confirm codes against the current CMS HCPCS release and your payer’s fee schedule before submitting a claim.

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How J-Codes and CPT Codes Appear Together on a Claim

A complete claim for a Durolane injection might look like this:

• CPT 20611 — Injection, knee joint, with ultrasound guidance
• J7318 (× 1 unit) — Durolane, 1 mg (per dose)

For an Euflexxa three-injection series, each of the three weekly visits would be billed identically:

• CPT 20610 — Injection, knee joint, without ultrasound guidance
• J7323 (× 1 unit) — Euflexxa, 1 mg (per dose), billed three times over three visits

The J-code quantity unit is typically per injection visit, not per entire series. Always check the drug’s specific HCPCS descriptor for the exact billing unit, because units are defined per the CMS descriptor.

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Medicare Coverage

Medicare Part B covers FDA-approved hyaluronic acid knee injections as a prosthetics/orthotics/supplies benefit. Coverage requires a documented diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis — most commonly ICD-10 code M17.11 (primary osteoarthritis, right knee) or M17.12 (left knee).

Traditional Medicare (Original Medicare Parts A and B) generally does not require prior authorization for knee HA injections. Many Medicare Advantage plans do require prior authorization, and using the correct J-code in the request helps the plan route it to the right clinical policy for review.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the J-code for Durolane?

Durolane’s HCPCS J-code is J7318. It is a single-injection product, so the full treatment is billed in one visit. On a claim, J7318 is paired with CPT 20610 (without ultrasound guidance) or CPT 20611 (with ultrasound guidance).

What is the J-code for Gel-One?

Gel-One’s HCPCS J-code is J7326. Like Durolane and Monovisc, Gel-One is a single-injection cross-linked HA product, so the entire treatment is delivered — and billed — in one visit.

What is the J-code for Synvisc-One?

Synvisc-One and the original three-injection Synvisc both share J-code J7325. Synvisc-One is the single-injection format; standard Synvisc is given over three weekly visits. Both products are billed under J7325.

What is the J-code for Euflexxa?

Euflexxa’s HCPCS J-code is J7323. The standard protocol is three weekly injections, with one unit of J7323 billed per visit.

What is the J-code for Monovisc?

Monovisc’s HCPCS J-code is J7327. It is a single-injection product, so the complete course is one visit with one billing line.

What is the J-code for Orthovisc?

Orthovisc’s HCPCS J-code is J7324. The standard protocol is three to four weekly injections.

What is the J-code for Hyalgan?

Hyalgan’s HCPCS J-code is J7321. Note that Supartz, Supartz FX, and Visco-3 also use J7321 — these are distinct products that happen to share a code. The standard Hyalgan protocol is three to five weekly injections.

What is the J-code for Supartz?

Supartz and Supartz FX share HCPCS J-code J7321 with Hyalgan and Visco-3. The standard Supartz protocol is five weekly injections.

What is the J-code for Gelsyn-3?

Gelsyn-3’s HCPCS J-code is J7328. The standard protocol is three weekly injections.

What is the CPT code for a knee gel injection?

The most commonly used CPT code for a knee gel injection is 20610 — arthrocentesis or injection of a major joint without ultrasound guidance. If the provider uses real-time ultrasound to confirm needle placement and documents the image, CPT 20611 applies instead. The J-code for the specific drug is always billed alongside the CPT code on the same claim.

What is the difference between a J-code and a CPT code for a knee injection?

A J-code (HCPCS Level II) identifies the drug that was injected — the specific hyaluronic acid product. A CPT code identifies the procedure — the act of injecting into the joint. Both appear on the same insurance claim: CPT covers the physician’s work, and the J-code covers the drug cost. You need both for a complete claim.

Does the CPT code change depending on which HA brand is used?

No. CPT 20610 or 20611 applies regardless of which HA brand is injected. The CPT code describes the procedure, not the drug. What changes between brands is the J-code.

What ICD-10 code is typically billed alongside knee gel injection J-codes?

The most common diagnosis codes are M17.11 (primary osteoarthritis, right knee), M17.12 (primary osteoarthritis, left knee), and M17.0 (bilateral primary osteoarthritis of the knee). Secondary osteoarthritis uses M17.31 (right) and M17.32 (left). Accurate ICD-10 coding is required for coverage — your insurer will cross-reference the diagnosis against medical necessity criteria.

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This page is for general educational purposes only. Billing codes change annually. Verify all codes against the current CMS HCPCS and CPT code sets and your payer’s fee schedule before submitting or reviewing claims. This is not a substitute for professional medical billing advice.