HCPCS code G0124: Pap interpretation, physician-read thin-layer specimen2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $24.05 for G0124 nationally in the office and $24.05 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $21.72–$31.60.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What G0124 covers

G0124 represents physician interpretation of screening cytopathology from cervical or vaginal cells collected in preservative fluid and prepared as an automated thin layer. The specimen may come from a routine cervical screening collection; the code identifies the physician interpretation service, not the pelvic examination or specimen collection. Cytology laboratories and pathologists commonly handle this work, with the interpreting physician reviewing the prepared specimen and documenting the cytologic findings.

Select G0124 when the screening specimen follows this thin-layer workflow and physician interpretation is performed. The record should identify the cervical or vaginal specimen, its preservative-fluid preparation, and the physician’s interpretation or report. Distinguish it from G0123, which describes thin-layer cytology that is manually screened. CMS assigns work, practice expense, and malpractice relative value units to G0124.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where G0124 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

G0124 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the G0124 rate is calculated

Each of G0124’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

Payment rules and modifiers for G0124

G0124 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.

G0124 compared with similar codes

How to choose

G0123Pap cytologyCytotechnologist-screened thin layer

G0123 describes manual screening of thin-layer cervical or vaginal cytology; G0124 identifies physician interpretation of the specimen.

G0141Cytology screeningAutomated screening, manual rescreening

G0141 describes an automated screening workflow followed by manual rescreening. G0124 identifies physician interpretation of a thin-layer screening specimen.

G0101Screening pelvic examPelvic and clinical breast exam

G0101 reports a screening pelvic and breast examination. G0124 reports physician interpretation of cervical or vaginal cytology.

Codes related to G0124

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates