G9738 — Patient refused to participate
G9738 is a HCPCS Level II code for patient refused to participate. It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section. It was terminated on December 31, 2020 and is not valid on new claims.
This code has been terminated
CMS terminated G9738 on December 31, 2020. 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 G9738
- Long descriptor
- Patient refused to participate
- Short descriptor
- Refused to participate
- Added
- January 1, 2017
- Terminated
- December 31, 2020
- 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 G9738
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G9738 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G9730Patient refused to participate
- G9731Patient unable to complete the lepf prom at initial evaluation and/or discharge due to blindness, illiteracy, severe mental incapacity or language incompatibility and an adequate proxy is not available
- G9732Patient refused to participate
- G9733Patient unable to complete the low back fs prom at initial evaluation and/or discharge due to blindness, illiteracy, severe mental incapacity or language incompatibility and an adequate proxy is not available
- G9734Patient refused to participate
- G9735Patient unable to complete the shoulder fs prom at initial evaluation and/or discharge due to blindness, illiteracy, severe mental incapacity or language incompatibility and an adequate proxy is not available
- G9736Patient refused to participate
- G9737Patient unable to complete the elbow/wrist/hand fs prom at initial evaluation and/or discharge due to blindness, illiteracy, severe mental incapacity or language incompatibility and an adequate proxy is not available
- G9739Patient unable to complete the general orthopedic fs prom at initial evaluation and/or discharge due to blindness, illiteracy, severe mental incapacity or language incompatibility and an adequate proxy is not availableterminated
- G9740Hospice services given to patient any time during the measurement period
- G9741Patients who use hospice services any time during the measurement period
- G9742Psychiatric symptoms assessedterminated
- G9743Psychiatric symptoms not assessed, reason not otherwise specifiedterminated
- G9744Patient not eligible due to active diagnosis of hypertension
- G9745Documented reason for not screening or recommending a follow-up for high blood pressure
- G9746Patient has mitral stenosis or prosthetic heart valves or patient has transient or reversible cause of af (e.g., pneumonia, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, cardiac surgery)
Questions about G9738
What is HCPCS code G9738?
G9738 is a HCPCS Level II code for patient refused to participate. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G9738?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G9738 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 G9738 still valid?
No. G9738 was terminated on December 31, 2020 and should not be used on new claims.