What are the key differences between white bagging and brown bagging?
White bagging refers to a scenario in which the infusion center receives the patient’s medication directly from the specialty pharmacy. Brown bagging refers to instances when the patient obtains the medication directly from the specialty pharmacy or retail pharmacy and then transports the medication to the infusion center. In both scenarios, the physician submits an order to the specialty pharmacy for the specific medication. The pharmacy prepares and packages the medication and then directly bills the patient’s insurance. Payment to the specialty pharmacy is issued through the patient’s pharmacy benefit rather than the medical benefit.
This question was answered in our Coding Essentials for Infusion & Injection Therapy Services. For more hot topics relating to infusion services, please visit our store or call us at 1.800.252.1578, ext. 2.
CPT® copyright 2025 American Medical Association (AMA). All rights reserved.
Fee schedules, relative value units, conversion factors and/or related components are not assigned by the AMA, are not part of CPT, and the AMA is not recommending their use. The AMA does not directly or indirectly practice medicine or dispense medical services. The AMA assumes no liability for data contained or not contained herein.
CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 1 with code CYBER25
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24