# G0444 Annual Depression screening, 15 mins



## ivygirl18@hotmail.com (Jun 12, 2017)

Hello everyone,

I have a provider who is billing G0444 with Medicare wellness visits. I know this cannot be billed with G0402 and G0438, but it can be billed with G0439 and other e/m visits.

I had called my MAC and they could not give me much information about what the documentation requirements are in order to appropriately bill for this service. There are no LCDs or NCDs. I looked on the Internet Only Manual and found some information. It states they will cover an annual screening *up to 15 mins *in a primary care setting  that have staff-assisted depression care supports in place to assure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up. So it can be up to 15 mins not the entire 15 mins as it states in the HCPCS? So they must document time? Can staff do this? It also states there is no required screening tools, so the PHQ-9 is okay to use(we use this as part of our MCANS).

Has anyone else been billing for this? What documentation are you requiring? 

Thank you,

Abby Ronco-Hopkins, CPC, CPMA


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## kagan (Jun 12, 2017)

Our practice had the same discussion.  Our MAC, CAHABA (AL, GA, TN), quoted to us that the service is up to 15 minutes.  They referred us to publication 100-04 100-04 Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 18, section 190.1 and 190.2. 'Effective October 14, 2011'.  We instructed our providers to document time even though the code is up to 15 minutes, so documentation of more or less time will not affect code selection. We also use PHQ-9.


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## ivygirl18@hotmail.com (Jun 12, 2017)

Thank you. 

If time is not documented it can not be billed? But the time does not have to be 15 mins it can be less. This is what I was thinking too.

Abby


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