H0048: Alcohol and/or other drug testing: collection and handling only, specimens other than blood
H0048 is a HCPCS Level II code for alcohol and/or other drug testing: collection and handling only, specimens other than blood. It belongs to the Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment section. Medicare does not pay it: see the coverage note below before you bill it.
Medicare coverage: Not payable by Medicare
Medicare does not pay this code. It may still be valid for another payer, but a Medicare claim carrying it will not be reimbursed.
From the coverage field of the CMS Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, release 2026Q4-Oct. This states Medicare’s position on the code, not on your particular claim.
Physician fee schedule statusI
Not valid for Medicare purposes. Medicare uses another code.
Global period: XXX
Want the dollar amount for your locality? The fee calculator applies your GPCI and the current conversion factor.
The CMS record for H0048
- Long descriptor
- Alcohol and/or other drug testing: collection and handling only, specimens other than blood
- Short descriptor
- Spec coll non-blood:a/d test
- Added
- January 1, 2003
- 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.
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 H0048
HCPCS has no hierarchy: related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If H0048 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- H0040Assertive community treatment program, per diem
- H0041Foster care, child, non-therapeutic, per diem
- H0042Foster care, child, non-therapeutic, per month
- H0043Supported housing, per diem
- H0044Supported housing, per month
- H0045Respite care services, not in the home, per diem
- H0046Mental health services, not otherwise specified
- H0047Alcohol and/or other drug abuse services, not otherwise specified
- H0049Alcohol and/or drug screening
- H0050Alcohol and/or drug services, brief intervention, per 15 minutes
- H0051Traditional healing service
- H0052Missing and murdered indigenous persons (mmip) mental health and clinical care
- H0053Historical trauma (ht) mental health and clinical care for indigenous persons
- H1000Prenatal care, at-risk assessment
- H1001Prenatal care, at-risk enhanced service; antepartum management
- H1002Prenatal care, at risk enhanced service; care coordination