G0444 is the HCPCS Level II code Medicare uses to pay for an annual depression screening that takes 5 to 15 minutes.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created HCPCS code G0444 under National Coverage Determination 210.9, effective October 14, 2011. G0444 sits under the Counseling, Screening, and Prevention Services category of Medicare preventive benefits.

G0444 job is narrow: it pays a provider to run a short, standardized depression screen on a Medicare patient once every 12 months.

The benefit does not cover treatment, therapy, or long-term monitoring. It only pays for the act of screening an adult who may or may not have any signs of depression.

The official CMS description of G0444 is “Annual depression screening, 15 minutes.” In the 2023 Physician Fee Schedule, CMS changed the descriptor to “Annual depression screening, 5 to 15 minutes.”

The American Medical Association has clarified that there is no strict minute-counting requirement tied to the new descriptor.

This guide walks through what G0444 covers, who can bill it, how to avoid the most common denials, and what the code pays in 2026. Every rule here comes from CMS transmittals, the National Coverage Determination 210.9, and updated MAC guidance.

What Does G0444 Cover?

G0444 covers the administration, scoring, and interpretation of a validated depression screening tool during a primary care visit. The provider or clinical staff gives the patient a short questionnaire, records the score, and reviews the result with the patient.

Medicare does not name one specific tool. Any validated instrument works. The most common choices include:

PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire, 9 items) — the most widely used option
PHQ-2 (the 2-item short form, often used as a first-pass screen)
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)
Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) for older adults
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for postpartum patients
Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale

Some coders argue that only the full PHQ-9 qualifies because it produces a severity score. In practice, Medicare allows standardized screening tools; acceptance may vary by MAC. Check your regional MAC if you default to PHQ-2.

The clinical work tied to G0444 includes four pieces: giving the tool to the patient, scoring the responses, interpreting the result, and starting a follow-up plan if the score is positive. A positive score without any documented next step is a common audit target.

Required documentation for a clean claim:

Name of the screening tool used
Numerical score from the tool
Date the screening was performed
Provider signature and credentials
Follow-up plan if the score is positive (referral, medication start, further evaluation, or other clinical step)
Evidence that staff-assisted depression care supports exist in the practice

The “staff-assisted care supports” line is one that many practices miss. NCD 210.9 requires the practice to have clinical staff, such as a nurse or PA, who can tell the physician about screening results and help coordinate a mental health referral. This is a structural requirement, not a per-visit one.

Who Can Bill G0444?

Primary care providers who work in a primary care setting can bill G0444. CMS defines this tightly, and billing from a non-eligible setting is the fastest way to get a denial.

Eligible providers include:

Physicians (MD, DO)
Nurse practitioners (NP)
Physician assistants (PA)
Clinical nurse specialists (CNS)
Certified nurse-midwives (CNM)

Medicare generally restricts billing of G0444 to primary care providers as defined under NCD 210.9.

Eligible settings per NCD 210.9:

Physician offices
Outpatient clinics
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
Hospital outpatient departments with a primary care focus

Settings CMS specifically excludes:

Emergency departments
Inpatient hospital settings
Ambulatory surgical centers
Independent diagnostic testing facilities
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)
Inpatient rehabilitation facilities
Hospice

What Are the G0444 Time Requirements?

The time range is 5 to 15 minutes per the current CMS 2026 descriptor. There is no enforced minimum minute threshold that CMS audits against.

The AMA has publicly stated that CMS has no requirement to document specific minutes spent on G0444. The 2023 descriptor change from “up to 15 minutes” to “5 to 15 minutes” confused, but CMS has not rewritten its underlying manual guidance to require a 5-minute floor.

Practical time guidance:

Most screenings take 5 to 10 minutes for the PHQ-9
Record actual time if your EHR template asks for it
Some MACs interpret the range strictly, so note the time to be safe
Time is not strictly defined, but the service should be clinically appropriate and properly documented.
Complete documentation is essential, and time should be consistent with the service provided.

If a screen runs well past 15 minutes because the patient scored positive and the provider moved into a full evaluation, that extra time belongs to an E/M code, not G0444. The screening ends when the score is calculated and reviewed.

How Often Can G0444 Be Billed?

G0444 can be billed once per 12-month period per patient. Medicare counts this as 11 full months that must pass after the month of the last screening.

Example: A patient was screened on January 15, 2025. The next eligible date is January 1, 2026. Not January 15, not February 1. The month of the prior screening counts, so eleven full months must elapse afterward.

Frequency denial causes you to see often:

Screening was billed too soon because the staff counted the calendar year instead of rolling 12 months
Another provider billed G0444 earlier in the year, and the current practice did not check
The patient transferred from another practice, and the history was not reviewed
Previous screening was bundled into an IPPE or initial AWV and mistakenly thought to be separately available

G0444 and the Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE — G0402): You cannot bill G0444 with the IPPE. Depression screening is a required, bundled element of the IPPE. If you bill both, G0444 gets denied.
G0444 and the Initial AWV (G0438): Same rule. Depression screening is part of the initial Annual Wellness Visit. G0444 is bundled and cannot be billed separately.
G0444 and the Subsequent AWV (G0439): This is where G0444 pays separately. Depression screening is not bundled into G0439, so running the PHQ-9 during a subsequent AWV lets you bill G0444 on its own line.

G0444 Billing and Reimbursement Guidelines

The 2026 Medicare national average payment for G0444 is $18.70, according to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Regional MAC rates vary slightly based on locality adjustments. Commercial payer rates are often higher when they accept the code.

Acceptable place of service (POS) codes:

POS 11: Office
POS 22: On-campus outpatient hospital
POS 19: Off-campus outpatient hospital
POS 49: Independent clinic
POS 71: Public health clinic
POS 72: Rural health clinic
POS 50: FQHC
POS 02 / 10: Telehealth (Telehealth use for G0444 is allowed based on current policies and should be verified with your MAC or payer before billing.)

POS codes 21 (inpatient hospital), 23 (ER), 31 (SNF), and 24 (ASC) will trigger automatic denials.

Modifiers you may need:

Modifier 25: Attach to an E/M code billed the same day, not to G0444 itself
Modifier 59: Use on G0444 when paired with G0439 to indicate a distinct service; several practices report that this resolves bundling edit denials
Modifier 33: Marks the service as preventive to trigger cost-sharing waivers on commercial plans that follow ACA preventive rules

Diagnosis codes paired with G0444:

Z13.31: Encounter for screening for depression (the preferred code; became effective October 1, 2021)
Z13.89: Encounter for screening for other disorder (acceptable alternative, still widely used)
Z00.00: General adult medical exam (sometimes paired when screening is done during a wellness visit)

Use Z13.31 as your default. It signals preventive intent clearly and prevents payer systems from misclassifying the claim.

How to Bill G0444 with Other Services

G0444 is often billed on the same date as other services. Each combination has its own rules.

G0444 with an E/M visit (99213, 99214, etc.): This works when the E/M is significant and separately identifiable. Bill the E/M with modifier 25. Link the E/M to the problem diagnosis. Link G0444 to Z13.31. The patient pays coinsurance on the E/M portion but nothing on G0444.
G0444 with an Annual Wellness Visit: Do not bill G0444 with G0402 (IPPE) or G0438 (initial AWV). Both include depression screening. Bill G0444 only with G0439 (subsequent AWV); Modifier 59 may be required by some payers or MACs to indicate a distinct service.
G0444 with behavioral health integration (BHI) codes: CPT codes like 99484, 99492, 99493, and 99494 cover ongoing care management for patients already diagnosed with behavioral health conditions. G0444 is a screening code for asymptomatic patients. The two do not normally conflict, but do not run a screening PHQ-9 during a BHI encounter and bill both. Use the score inside the BHI time instead.

Can G0444 Be Billed with G0439?

Yes, G0444 can be billed with G0439, and this is where the code earns its keep. Modifier 59 may be required, depending on the payer or MAC, to bypass bundling edits.

Documentation best practices for the G0439 plus G0444 pairing:

Record the subsequent AWV elements separately from the screening
Note the screening tool name, score, and interpretation as its own EHR entry
Use Z13.31 on the G0444 line and the AWV diagnosis on G0439
Keep the two services visibly distinct in the note

Practices that miss this pairing lose real money. Every subsequent AWV where the PHQ-9 is run should trigger a G0444 claim alongside G0439. Many EHR templates do not prompt for this, so staff have to remember.

Common G0444 Denial Reasons and How to Fix Them

Denials on G0444 usually fall into five buckets. Each has a clear fix.

Frequency limit exceeded. The 11-month rule was not respected. Check the patient’s Medicare claim history through the MAC portal before the visit. If a prior screening was within 12 months, do not bill G0444.
Invalid place of service. POS 21, 23, 24, or 31 triggers instant denial. Review the claim before submission. If the screening happened in a qualifying setting, correct the POS and resubmit.
Missing or insufficient documentation. No tool name, no score, no follow-up plan for a positive screen. Build a structured EHR template that requires these fields. Appeal with corrected documentation attached.
Ineligible provider or setting. A psychologist, LCSW, or provider in a non-primary-care setting billed the code. Refile under an eligible provider’s NPI or switch to CPT 96127 if the payer accepts it.
Bundling denial with G0402 or G0438. G0444 cannot ride alongside the IPPE or initial AWV. Write off the line. For future claims, hold G0444 for a subsequent AWV.

Appeal tips for G0444 Denial:

Include the screening tool printout with the score
Attach the note showing the follow-up plan
Reference NCD 210.9 directly in the appeal letter
Use modifier 59 on resubmission if the denial came from a G0439 pairing

G0444 vs. 96127: What’s the Difference?

G0444 is a Medicare-specific HCPCS code for annual depression screening. CPT 96127 is a broader code for any brief emotional or behavioral assessment using a standardized instrument. The two overlap in function but serve different payers and contexts.

When to use G0444:

Medicare patient
Primary care setting
Annual screening once per 12 months
Usually billed with a subsequent AWV (G0439) or standalone

When to use 96127:

Commercial insurance or Medicaid patient (many payers prefer this code)
Pediatric patients
Screening more frequently than once a year
Screening for other behavioral conditions (ADHD, anxiety) where G0444 does not apply
Non-Medicare payers that do not recognize G-codes

Side-by-side comparison:

Feature	G0444	CPT 96127
Code type	HCPCS Level II	CPT
Primary payer	Medicare	Commercial, Medicaid, and some Medicare Advantage
2026 national rate	$18.70	Payment varies by payer and locality
Frequency limit	Once per 12 months	No CMS cap; up to 3 units per date
Patient population	Adults (Medicare age typically 65+)	Any age, including pediatric
Setting required	Primary care	Any clinical setting
Tool required	Validated depression screen	Any standardized behavioral assessment
Time element	5 to 15 minutes	Not time-based
Patient cost-share	Waived	May apply
Modifier 59 needs	When with G0439	When with E/M

For Medicare patients, G0444 & CPT 96127 should not be billed together for the same service.

G0444 Documentation Checklist

A clean G0444 note has these pieces, in order, in the encounter record:

Screening tool used: Name and version (example: “PHQ-9, administered 2/14/2026”)
Raw score: The number the patient earned (example: “PHQ-9 score: 4 of 27”)
Interpretation: What the score means clinically (example: “Negative for depression; score consistent with minimal symptoms”)
Time spent: Optional per AMA guidance, but often requested by EHR templates
Follow-up plan: Required if the score is positive; describe the referral, medication, or evaluation ordered
Provider signature and date: Must be the billing provider or the supervising provider for incident-to claims
Staff-assisted care supports: A one-time practice-level statement of who handles referrals is enough

Final Words

G0444 is one of the simpler Medicare preventive codes to bill once you know the rules. The money is modest per claim, but the volume adds up fast in primary care. Track three things, and most denials disappear: the 12-month clock, the primary care setting requirement, and modifier 59 when paired with G0439.