G2203 — Documentation of medical reason(s) for not providing brief counseling if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user (e.g., limited life expectancy, other medical reasons)
G2203 is a HCPCS Level II code for documentation of medical reason(s) for not providing brief counseling if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user (e.g., limited life expectancy, other medical reasons). It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section. It was terminated on December 31, 2022 and is not valid on new claims.
This code has been terminated
CMS terminated G2203 on December 31, 2022. It stays in the file as history — a claim you are auditing from before that date may legitimately carry it — but it must not appear on a new claim. The adjacent codes below are the usual place to look for its replacement.
Medicare coverage: Carrier judgment
Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
From the coverage field of the CMS Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, release 2026Q3-Jul. This states Medicare’s position on the code, not on your particular claim.
The CMS record for G2203
- Long descriptor
- Documentation of medical reason(s) for not providing brief counseling if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user (e.g., limited life expectancy, other medical reasons)
- Short descriptor
- Med rsn no etoh couns
- Added
- January 1, 2021
- Terminated
- December 31, 2022
- BETOS
- Z2
- Pricing indicator
- 00 — Not priced by Part B
The official wording. This is what the code means.
CMS's 28-character form, which is what shows up on a remittance advice.
When CMS introduced the code.
When CMS retired it.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Service not separately priced by Part B — not covered, bundled into another service, or used by Part A only.
Codes adjacent to G2203
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G2203 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G2195Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: occipital headache in children
- G2196Patient identified as an unhealthy alcohol user when screened for unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic screening method
- G2197Patient screened for unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic screening method and not identified as an unhealthy alcohol user
- G2198Documentation of medical reason(s) for not screening for unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic screening method (e.g., limited life expectancy, other medical reasons)terminated
- G2199Patient not screened for unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic screening method
- G2200Patient identified as an unhealthy alcohol user received brief counseling
- G2201Documentation of medical reason(s) for not providing brief counseling (e.g., limited life expectancy, other medical reasons)terminated
- G2202Patient did not receive brief counseling if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user
- G2204Patients between 45 and 85 years of age who received a screening colonoscopy during the performance period
- G2205Patients with pregnancy during adjuvant treatment course
- G2206Patient received adjuvant treatment course including both chemotherapy and her2-targeted therapy
- G2207Reason for not administering adjuvant treatment course including both chemotherapy and her2-targeted therapy (e.g. poor performance status (ecog 3-4; karnofsky <=50), cardiac contraindications, insufficient renal function, insufficient hepatic function, other active or secondary cancer diagnoses, other medical contraindications, patients who died during initial treatment course or transferred during or after initial treatment course)
- G2208Patient did not receive adjuvant treatment course including both chemotherapy and her2-targeted therapy
- G2209Patient refused to participate
- G2210Residual score for the neck impairment not measured because the patient did not complete the neck fs prom at initial evaluation and/or near discharge, reason not given
- G2211Visit complexity inherent to evaluation and management associated with medical care services that serve as the continuing focal point for all needed health care services and/or with medical care services that are part of ongoing care related to a patient's single, serious condition or a complex condition. (add-on code, list separately in addition to home or residence or office/outpatient evaluation and management service, new or established)
Questions about G2203
What is HCPCS code G2203?
G2203 is a HCPCS Level II code for documentation of medical reason(s) for not providing brief counseling if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user (e.g., limited life expectancy, other medical reasons). It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G2203?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G2203 as "Carrier judgment". Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
Is G2203 still valid?
No. G2203 was terminated on December 31, 2022 and should not be used on new claims.