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August 16, 2016

Counseling to Prevent Tobacco Use - Reminder

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will cover intermediate and intensive counseling to prevent the use of tobacco. The service must be provided by qualified physicians/practitioners for outpatient and hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries who use tobacco.

Counseling to prevent tobacco use is a time-based service. The physician/practitioner's documentation must show the amount of time spent on each counseling visit.

  • HCPCS Code G0436 – Smoking and tobacco cessation counseling visit for the asymptomatic patient; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes, up to 10 minutes
  • HCPCS Code G0437 – Smoking and tobacco cessation counseling visit for the asymptomatic patient; intensive, greater than 10 minutes
  • CPT Code 99406 – Smoking and tobacco cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes, up to 10 minutes
  • CPT Code 99407 – Smoking and tobacco cessation counseling visit; intensive, greater than 10 minutes

Please note that minimal tobacco cessation counseling is already covered at each E/M visit.

For additional information, please refer to the following resources:

Reviewed 11.22.2021

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