HCPCS code G0444: Depression screening, annual Medicare preventive screen2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Report G0444 for an annual, 15-minute Medicare depression screening in a primary care setting equipped to support diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
Medicare pays $18.89–$21.27 for G0444 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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What G0444 covers
G0444 covers an annual depression screen for a Medicare beneficiary in a primary care setting. A primary care clinician, such as a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, may use a standardized instrument such as the PHQ-9; clinical staff may help administer and score it. The clinician reviews the result and arranges further evaluation when indicated. The setting must have staff-assisted depression care supports available for accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up.
Report one unit for the annual screening, rather than additional units for a longer encounter. Document the instrument, score, interpretation, and any follow-up indicated by the result; Z13.31 identifies an encounter for depression screening. Medicare waives beneficiary cost sharing for this preventive benefit. G0444 may be reported with an annual wellness visit when the separate screen is performed and documented. An independently necessary, separately identifiable problem-oriented E/M service on the same day is reported with modifier 25 on the E/M code.
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 G0444 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$18.89 to $21.27
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $19.78 | $8.31 |
| Rest of Maryland | $18.89 | $8.07 |
| Washington, DC area | $21.27 | $8.68 |
How the G0444 rate is calculated
Each of G0444’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.
How the rate is built · G0444
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.18
0.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.37
0.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.5600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$18.70
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for G0444
G0444 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.
Place of service · G0444
Which rate does Medicare pay?
The POS code on the claim line (CMS-1500 box 24B).
POS 11 · non-facility rate · national
$18.70
- Non-facility (office)
- $18.70
- Facility
- $8.02
Higher because the practice carries its own overhead.
G0444 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 96127Behavioral screening toolPer scored standardized instrument
- 96127 reports a brief standardized emotional or behavioral assessment, which may be used for symptom monitoring. G0444 is the annual Medicare depression screening benefit in a qualifying primary care setting.
- G0402Welcome visitFirst 12 months of Part B
- The Welcome to Medicare visit reviews depression risk factors. Report G0444 separately only when an annual depression screening is also performed and documented as a distinct service.
- G0438Annual wellness visitInitial visit, first AWV
- G0438 is the initial annual wellness visit and includes review of depression risk factors. A separately performed and documented annual depression screen may also be reported with G0444.
- G0442Alcohol screeningAnnual 15-minute preventive screen
- G0442 is the annual screen for alcohol misuse; G0444 is the annual depression screen. Report each when its distinct screening service is performed.
G0444 billing questions
Can this screen be billed with an annual wellness visit?
Yes. G0444 may be reported with an initial (G0438) or subsequent (G0439) annual wellness visit when a separate annual depression screen is performed and documented.
What documentation supports the claim?
Record the standardized instrument, score, interpretation, and follow-up when indicated. The code describes a 15-minute screening service; document the service furnished rather than treating 15 minutes as a maximum.
Should this code be used to monitor diagnosed depression?
No. G0444 is for screening, not symptom monitoring in a patient with known depression. A brief standardized assessment may instead be reported with 96127 when its requirements are met.
How often does Medicare cover it?
Medicare covers one G0444 depression screening annually. Do not report additional units for a longer screen or a repeat screening within the annual interval.
Which settings qualify?
The screening must occur in a primary care setting with staff-assisted supports for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. An emergency department or inpatient stay is not a qualifying primary care setting.
Does a same-day problem-oriented visit need a modifier?
If a medically necessary, separately identifiable E/M service is performed, append modifier 25 to the E/M code, not to G0444.
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
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