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 2026Q3-Jul. 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
Questions about H0048
What is HCPCS code H0048?
H0048 is a HCPCS Level II code for alcohol and/or other drug testing: collection and handling only, specimens other than blood. It sits in the Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment section.
Does Medicare cover H0048?
The CMS HCPCS file marks H0048 as "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.
How is H0048 paid under the physician fee schedule?
H0048 carries PFS status code I. Not valid for Medicare purposes. Medicare uses another code.