G8850 — Positive airway pressure therapy not prescribed, reason not given
G8850 is a HCPCS Level II code for positive airway pressure therapy not prescribed, reason not given. It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section. Whether Medicare pays it depends on the coverage rule below.
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.
Physician fee schedule statusM
Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.
Global period: XXX
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The CMS record for G8850
- Long descriptor
- Positive airway pressure therapy not prescribed, reason not given
- Short descriptor
- No pap prescribed
- Added
- January 1, 2012
- BETOS
- M5B
- 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.
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 G8850
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G8850 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G8841Sleep apnea symptoms not assessed, reason not given
- G8842Apnea hypopnea index (ahi), respiratory disturbance index (rdi) or respiratory event index (rei) documented or measured within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea
- G8843Documentation of reason(s) for not measuring an apnea hypopnea index (ahi), a respiratory disturbance index (rdi), or a respiratory event index (rei) within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea (e.g., medical, neurological, or psychiatric disease that prohibits successful completion of a sleep study, patients for whom a sleep study would present a bigger risk than benefit or would pose an undue burden, dementia, patients previously diagnosed with osa and severity assessed by another provider, patients who decline ahi/rdi/rei measurement, patients who had a financial reason for not completing testing, test was ordered but not completed, patients decline because their insurance (payer) does not cover the expense)
- G8844Apnea hypopnea index (ahi), respiratory disturbance index (rdi), or respiratory event index (rei) not documented or measured within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea, reason not given
- G8845Positive airway pressure therapy prescribed
- G8846Moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea (apnea hypopnea index (ahi) or respiratory disturbance index (rdi) of 15 or greater)
- G8848Mild obstructive sleep apnea (apnea hypopnea index (ahi) or respiratory disturbance index (rdi) of less than 15)terminated
- G8849Documentation of reason(s) for not prescribing positive airway pressure therapy (e.g., patient unable to tolerate, alternative therapies use, patient declined, financial, insurance coverage)
- G8851Adherence to therapy was assessed at least annually through an objective informatics system or through self-reporting (if objective reporting is not available, documented)
- G8852Positive airway pressure therapy was prescribedterminated
- G8853Positive airway pressure therapy not prescribedterminated
- G8854Documentation of reason(s) for not objectively reporting adherence to evidence-based therapy (e.g., patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal or advanced disease with an expected life span of less than 6 months, patients who decline therapy, patients who do not return for follow-up at least annually, patients unable to access/afford therapy, patient's insurance will not cover therapy)
- G8855Adherence to therapy was not assessed at least annually through an objective informatics system or through self-reporting (if objective reporting is not available), reason not given
- G8856Referral to a physician for an otologic evaluation performed
- G8857Patient is not eligible for the referral for otologic evaluation measure (e.g., patients who are already under the care of a physician for acute or chronic dizziness)
- G8858Referral to a physician for an otologic evaluation not performed, reason not given
Questions about G8850
What is HCPCS code G8850?
G8850 is a HCPCS Level II code for positive airway pressure therapy not prescribed, reason not given. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G8850?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G8850 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.
How is G8850 paid under the physician fee schedule?
G8850 carries PFS status code M. Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.