G9650 — Documentation that the patient declined therapy change or has documented contraindications (e.g., experienced adverse effects or lack of efficacy with all other therapy options) in order to achieve better disease control as measured by pga, bsa, pasi, or dlqi
G9650 is a HCPCS Level II code for documentation that the patient declined therapy change or has documented contraindications (e.g., experienced adverse effects or lack of efficacy with all other therapy options) in order to achieve better disease control as measured by pga, bsa, pasi, or dlqi. It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section. It was terminated on December 31, 2016 and is not valid on new claims.
This code has been terminated
CMS terminated G9650 on December 31, 2016. 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 G9650
- Long descriptor
- Documentation that the patient declined therapy change or has documented contraindications (e.g., experienced adverse effects or lack of efficacy with all other therapy options) in order to achieve better disease control as measured by pga, bsa, pasi, or dlqi
- Short descriptor
- Doc pt no ther chg or contra
- Added
- January 1, 2016
- Terminated
- December 31, 2016
- 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 G9650
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G9650 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G9642Current smoker (e.g., cigarette, cigar, pipe, e-cigarette or marijuana)
- G9643Elective surgery
- G9644Patients who abstained from smoking prior to anesthesia on the day of surgery or procedure
- G9645Patients who did not abstain from smoking prior to anesthesia on the day of surgery or procedure
- G9646Patients with 90 day mrs score of 0 to 2
- G9647Patients in whom mrs score could not be obtained at 90 day follow-upterminated
- G9648Patients with 90 day mrs score greater than 2
- G9649Psoriasis assessment tool documented meeting any one of the specified benchmarks (e.g., (pga; 5-point or 6-point scale), body surface area (bsa), psoriasis area and severity index (pasi) and/or dermatology life quality index) (dlqi))
- G9651Psoriasis assessment tool documented not meeting any one of the specified benchmarks (e.g., (pga; 5-point or 6-point scale), body surface area (bsa), psoriasis area and severity index (pasi) and/or dermatology life quality index) (dlqi)) or psoriasis assessment tool not documented
- G9652Patient has been treated with a systemic or biologic medication for psoriasis for at least six monthsterminated
- G9653Patient has not been treated with a systemic or biologic medication for psoriasis for at least six monthsterminated
- G9654Monitored anesthesia care (mac)
- G9655A transfer of care protocol or handoff tool/checklist that includes the required key handoff elements is used
- G9656Patient transferred directly from anesthetizing location to pacu or other non-icu location
- G9657Transfer of care during an anesthetic or to the intensive care unitterminated
- G9658A transfer of care protocol or handoff tool/checklist that includes the required key handoff elements is not used
Questions about G9650
What is HCPCS code G9650?
G9650 is a HCPCS Level II code for documentation that the patient declined therapy change or has documented contraindications (e.g., experienced adverse effects or lack of efficacy with all other therapy options) in order to achieve better disease control as measured by pga, bsa, pasi, or dlqi. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G9650?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G9650 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 G9650 still valid?
No. G9650 was terminated on December 31, 2016 and should not be used on new claims.