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Billing code J0390 · Pharmacy

J0390 Medicaid reimbursement rate by state (2026)

Injection, chloroquine hydrochloride, up to 250 mg. Medicaid pays a median of $17.27 for J0390 across 15 states, from $0.71 in Maine to $21.01 in Colorado.

Data as of Oct 5, 202615 statesEvery rate links to its official source

States publishing
15
National median
$17.27units vary by state
Lowest
$0.71Maine
Highest
$21.01Colorado
Answer

What does Medicaid pay for J0390?

15 state Medicaid programs publish a fee-for-service rate for J0390. The national median is $17.27 (units differ between states). Colorado pays the most, $21.01, and Maine the least, $0.71, a 29.6x spread.

State ranking

J0390 rate by state: highest, middle and lowest

One like-for-like fee-for-service rate per state, ranked. The workspace lists all 15 states with every variant, modifier and effective date.

#StateMedicaid rateUnitPer hourManaged-care plans% of Medicare
1Colorado Source · since 2026-07-01$21.01——Not classified—
2Iowa Source · since 2013-07-01$19.83——Plans must pay at least this—
3Kansas Source · since 2003-02-01$18.64——Not classified—
7Maryland Source · since 2026-01-01$17.27——Not classified—
8Rhode Island Source · since 2005-01-01$17.27——Plans negotiate; applies out of network—
9Idaho Source · since 2025-09-01$16.58——Not classified—
14Illinois Source · since 2010-02-01$3.50——Plans negotiate; applies out of network—
15Maine Source · since 2023-01-01$0.71——Not classified—
See all 15 states for J0390 — start free

7 more states, with every modifier and provider-type variant, rate history and the plan rule in each state. 14-day free trial, no credit card.

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Rates are per the unit shown for each state; units can differ between states. Medicare amounts are computed from the CMS relative value file and locality cost indices; states with several Medicare localities show a range. Confirm rates with the payer before billing.

Track J0390 in your states. Get an alert when any state changes it, with every variant and the managed-care rule.
Guide

How to read this table

  • Order. States are listed from the highest published rate to the lowest. No single unit is shared by 8 or more states for J0390, so the order is by published amount and is not a like-for-like rank.
  • Medicaid rate. The most the state's fee-for-service program pays for one unit, as published. 3 of the 15 states list more than one rate for J0390, by modifier, provider type or setting; the table shows the one that matches the provider level and setting used across states, without add-ons.
  • Unit. None of the 15 schedules prints a separate unit for J0390, so each amount is a flat payment for one service as the code defines it.
  • Per hour. J0390 is not billed in time units in these states, so no hourly figure is shown.
  • Managed-care plans. The rule the state sets for its plans on this rate. What each rule means is explained below.
  • % of Medicare. No Medicare physician fee schedule amount is on file for J0390, so there is no percentage.
  • Source and date. Each Source link opens the state's own document; “since” is the date the rate took effect.
Context

Why J0390 rates differ between states

Published rates for J0390 run from $0.71 in Maine to $21.01 in Colorado, a 29.6x gap in the same unit. Half the states pay more than the median of $17.27 and half pay less. The usual reasons for a spread like this in pharmacy rates:

  • Drugs given in a practice or clinic are commonly priced from a benchmark such as average sales price or wholesale acquisition cost, which moves every quarter.
  • For children, many vaccines are supplied through the federal Vaccines for Children program, so the Medicaid payment can be for administration only.
  • States differ in whether they pay a fixed fee, a percentage of a benchmark or invoice cost.

Timing matters too. 2 states set the current rate for J0390 in 2026 or later, while 8 states still pay a rate that took effect in 2022 or earlier. A state that has not updated its rate in years will drift down the ranking as others raise theirs.

Managed care

What managed-care plans pay for J0390

Most Medicaid members are in managed-care plans, and plans don't publish their provider fee schedules. For J0390, the public signal is the rule each state sets for its plans, recorded on each rate above.

In 2 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 6 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 7 states is not classified yet.

  • Plans negotiate; the published rate applies out of network (6 states). In-network rates can be above or below the published rate. The published rate is the benchmark both sides know, and the fallback if no contract is signed.
  • Plans must pay at least the published rate (2 states). The published rate is your floor. Negotiate up from it, and if a plan pays less, the contract provision is the basis for a payment dispute.

Plan-negotiated rates are never estimated here. To see the rule and its citation for a particular state, open that state's managed-care page, for example Colorado managed care.

Billing

Units and billing for J0390

J0390 is a HCPCS Level II drug code in the pharmacy line, billed mostly by practices and clinics that administer vaccines and drugs. J codes cover drugs that are not self-administered. One unit is the dose stated in the code, so a claim for a larger dose bills several units.

Many states require the National Drug Code (NDC) on the claim alongside the billing code. Drug codes are billed in units of the dose stated in the code, so a larger dose bills more units.

Before billing, confirm the rate, unit and any modifier with the state's current schedule or the plan: the amounts here are as published, not a guarantee of payment.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does Medicaid pay for J0390?

It depends on the state. Of the 15 states with a published fee-for-service rate, the median is $17.27. Colorado pays the most ($21.01) and Maine the least ($0.71).

Which state pays the highest Medicaid rate for J0390?

Colorado, at $21.01, effective 2026-07-01.

Which state pays the lowest Medicaid rate for J0390?

Maine, at $0.71, effective 2023-01-01.

What unit is J0390 billed in?

None of the 15 schedules prints a separate unit for J0390, so each amount is a flat payment for one service as the code defines it.

Do managed-care plans pay the same rate for J0390?

Not necessarily. In 2 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 6 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 7 states is not classified yet. Each rule is cited to the plan contract, statute or notice in the workspace.