G8882 — Sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure not performed, reason not given
G8882 is a HCPCS Level II code for sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure not performed, 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 G8882
- Long descriptor
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure not performed, reason not given
- Short descriptor
- No sent lymph node biopsy
- 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 G8882
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G8882 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G8874Excised tissue not evaluated by imaging intraoperatively to confirm successful inclusion of targeted lesionterminated
- G8875Clinician diagnosed breast cancer preoperatively by a minimally invasive biopsy method
- G8876Documentation of reason(s) for not performing minimally invasive biopsy to diagnose breast cancer preoperatively (e.g., lesion too close to skin, implant, chest wall, etc., lesion could not be adequately visualized for needle biopsy, patient condition prevents needle biopsy [weight, breast thickness, etc.], duct excision without imaging abnormality, prophylactic mastectomy, reduction mammoplasty, excisional biopsy performed by another physician)
- G8877Clinician did not attempt to achieve the diagnosis of breast cancer preoperatively by a minimally invasive biopsy method, reason not given
- G8878Sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure performed
- G8879Clinically node negative (t1n0m0 or t2n0m0) invasive breast cancerterminated
- G8880Documentation of reason(s) sentinel lymph node biopsy not performed (e.g., reasons could include but not limited to; non-invasive cancer, incidental discovery of breast cancer on prophylactic mastectomy, incidental discovery of breast cancer on reduction mammoplasty, pre-operative biopsy proven lymph node (ln) metastases, inflammatory carcinoma, stage 3 locally advanced cancer, recurrent invasive breast cancer, clinically node positive after neoadjuvant systemic therapy, patient refusal after informed consent, patient with significant age, comorbidities, or limited life expectancy and favorable tumor; adjuvant systemic therapy unlikely to change)
- G8881Stage of breast cancer is greater than t1n0m0 or t2n0m0
- G8883Biopsy results reviewed, communicated, tracked and documentedterminated
- G8884Clinician documented reason that patient's biopsy results were not reviewedterminated
- G8885Biopsy results not reviewed, communicated, tracked or documentedterminated
- G8886Most recent blood pressure under controlterminated
- G8887Documentation of medical reason(s) for most recent blood pressure not being under control (e.g., patients with palliative goals or for whom treatment of hypertension with standard treatment goals is not clinically appropriate)terminated
- G8888Most recent blood pressure not under control, results documented and reviewedterminated
- G8889No documentation of blood pressure measurement, reason not giventerminated
- G8890Most recent ldl-c under control, results documented and reviewedterminated
Questions about G8882
What is HCPCS code G8882?
G8882 is a HCPCS Level II code for sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure not performed, reason not given. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G8882?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G8882 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 G8882 paid under the physician fee schedule?
G8882 carries PFS status code M. Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.