G9974 — Dilated macular exam performed, including documentation of the presence or absence of macular thickening or geographic atrophy or hemorrhage and the level of macular degeneration severity
G9974 is a HCPCS Level II code for dilated macular exam performed, including documentation of the presence or absence of macular thickening or geographic atrophy or hemorrhage and the level of macular degeneration severity. It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section. It was terminated on December 31, 2024 and is not valid on new claims.
This code has been terminated
CMS terminated G9974 on December 31, 2024. 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 G9974
- Long descriptor
- Dilated macular exam performed, including documentation of the presence or absence of macular thickening or geographic atrophy or hemorrhage and the level of macular degeneration severity
- Short descriptor
- Mac exam perf
- Added
- January 1, 2018
- Terminated
- December 31, 2024
- 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 G9974
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G9974 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G9963Embolization endpoints are not documented separately for each embolized vessel or ovarian artery angiography or embolization not performed in the presence of variant uterine artery anatomy
- G9964Patient received at least one well-child visit with a pcp during the performance period
- G9965Patient did not receive at least one well-child visit with a pcp during the performance period
- G9966Children who were screened for risk of developmental, behavioral and social delays using a standardized tool with interpretation and reportterminated
- G9967Children who were not screened for risk of developmental, behavioral and social delays using a standardized tool with interpretation and reportterminated
- G9968Patient was referred to another clinician or specialist during the measurement period
- G9969Clinician who referred the patient to another clinician received a report from the clinician to whom the patient was referred
- G9970Clinician who referred the patient to another clinician did not receive a report from the clinician to whom the patient was referred
- G9975Documentation of medical reason(s) for not performing a dilated macular examinationterminated
- G9978Remote in-home visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient for use only in a medicare-approved bundled payments for care improvement advanced (bpci advanced) model episode of care, which requires these 3 key components: a problem focused history; a problem focused examination; and straightforward medical decision making, furnished in real time using interactive audio and video technology. counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the needs of the patient or the family or both. usually, the presenting problem(s) are self limited or minor. typically, 10 minutes are spent with the patient or family or both via real time, audio and video intercommunications technology
- G9979Remote in-home visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient for use only in a medicare-approved bundled payments for care improvement advanced (bpci advanced) model episode of care, which requires these 3 key components: an expanded problem focused history; an expanded problem focused examination; straightforward medical decision making, furnished in real time using interactive audio and video technology. counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the needs of the patient or the family or both. usually, the presenting problem(s) are of low to moderate severity. typically, 20 minutes are spent with the patient or family or both via real time, audio and video intercommunications technology
- G9980Remote in-home visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient for use only in a medicare-approved bundled payments for care improvement advanced (bpci advanced) model episode of care, which requires these 3 key components: a detailed history; a detailed examination; medical decision making of low complexity, furnished in real time using interactive audio and video technology. counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the needs of the patient or the family or both. usually, the presenting problem(s) are of moderate severity. typically, 30 minutes are spent with the patient or family or both via real time, audio and video intercommunications technology
- G9981Remote in-home visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient for use only in a medicare-approved bundled payments for care improvement advanced (bpci advanced) model episode of care, which requires these 3 key components: a comprehensive history; a comprehensive examination; medical decision making of moderate complexity, furnished in real time using interactive audio and video technology. counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the needs of the patient or the family or both. usually, the presenting problem(s) are of moderate to high severity. typically, 45 minutes are spent with the patient or family or both via real time, audio and video intercommunications technology
- G9982Remote in-home visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient for use only in a medicare-approved bundled payments for care improvement advanced (bpci advanced) model episode of care, which requires these 3 key components: a comprehensive history; a comprehensive examination; medical decision making of high complexity, furnished in real time using interactive audio and video technology. counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the needs of the patient or the family or both. usually, the presenting problem(s) are of moderate to high severity. typically, 60 minutes are spent with the patient or family or both via real time, audio and video intercommunications technology
- G9983Remote in-home visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient for use only in a medicare-approved bundled payments for care improvement advanced (bpci advanced) model episode of care, which requires at least 2 of the following 3 key components: a problem focused history; a problem focused examination; straightforward medical decision making, furnished in real time using interactive audio and video technology. counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the needs of the patient or the family or both. usually, the presenting problem(s) are self limited or minor. typically, 10 minutes are spent with the patient or family or both via real time, audio and video intercommunications technology
- G9984Remote in-home visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient for use only in a medicare-approved bundled payments for care improvement advanced (bpci advanced) model episode of care, which requires at least 2 of the following 3 key components: an expanded problem focused history; an expanded problem focused examination; medical decision making of low complexity, furnished in real time using interactive audio and video technology. counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the needs of the patient or the family or both. usually, the presenting problem(s) are of low to moderate severity. typically, 15 minutes are spent with the patient or family or both via real time, audio and video intercommunications technology
Questions about G9974
What is HCPCS code G9974?
G9974 is a HCPCS Level II code for dilated macular exam performed, including documentation of the presence or absence of macular thickening or geographic atrophy or hemorrhage and the level of macular degeneration severity. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G9974?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G9974 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 G9974 still valid?
No. G9974 was terminated on December 31, 2024 and should not be used on new claims.