G0447 with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: what the policy says
The short answerBCBSMA lists G0447 only in its adult diet and physical activity counseling row (overweight or obese with cardiovascular risk factors or abnormal glucose). Its obesity screening and counseling row does not list G0447.
By Javier Alvarez · Updated · 2 min read
1 row: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Public policy, not the member's benefits.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
ACA Preventive Care Services Billing Guideline (Feb. 2025) and authorization table (July 2026) · Massachusetts
| 97802 | Limited (listed as preventive coded services (ACA billing guideline). Diagnostic MNT is not addressed in the public documents found.) [1] |
|---|---|
| 97803 | Limited (listed as preventive coded services (ACA billing guideline). Diagnostic MNT is not addressed in the public documents found.) [1] |
| G0270 | Limited (listed as preventive coded services (ACA billing guideline). Diagnostic MNT is not addressed in the public documents found.) [1] |
| G0271 | Limited (listed as preventive coded services (ACA billing guideline). Diagnostic MNT is not addressed in the public documents found.) [1] |
| Where it applies | ACA preventive services for non-grandfathered plans, current as of February 2025. The authorization table is current as of July 2026 and covers several products. [1][2] |
| Diagnoses | Diet and physical activity counseling to prevent cardiovascular disease: adults who are overweight or obese and have additional cardiovascular risk factors and/or abnormal blood glucose. Obesity screening and counseling: children, adolescents and adults. [1] |
| Other codes | 97804 and S9470 are in the same rows. The obesity row also lists S9482. [1] |
| Telehealth POS | Not published: call the payer. |
| Telehealth modifier | Not published: call the payer. |
| Visit limits | Not published: call the payer. |
| Referral and prior auth | The authorization table (rev. 07/26) lists Nutritional Counseling as not requiring authorization for any listed product. For Commercial HMO/POS members, authorization is required for out-of-network care (Out-of-Network Request Form). [2] |
| Payment | Members pay no additional cost for listed codes from in-network providers. Preventive, screening and counseling diagnosis codes should be billed in the primary position because benefits are based on the primary diagnosis. [1] |
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Preventive Care Services Billing Guideline (current as of February 2025), checked October 30, 2026
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Authorization requirements by product (current as of July 2026), checked October 30, 2026
What Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' policy says about G0447
G0447 is the HCPCS code for face-to-face behavioral counseling for obesity, 15 minutes. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts it is listed: named in the payer's public policy. Each line below is from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' own text:
- Where it is listed. G0447 is in the row for healthy diet and physical activity counseling to prevent cardiovascular disease, with 99402 to 99404, 97802 to 97804, G0108, G0109, G0270, G0271, S9140, S9141, S9455, S9460, S9465, S9470 and G0446. (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, checked October 30, 2026)
- When it pays. The comment for that row says the counseling is for adults who are overweight or obese and have additional cardiovascular risk factors and/or abnormal blood glucose. (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, checked October 30, 2026)
- Diagnosis position. BCBSMA says diagnosis codes for preventive and counseling services should be billed in the primary position because benefits are based on the primary diagnosis. Modifier 33 may be reported but is not used for the benefit decision. (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, checked October 30, 2026)
G0447 at other payers
- G0447 with BCBS of IL, TX, OK and NM (HCSC): limited.
- G0447 with Premera Blue Cross: listed.
- G0447 with UnitedHealthcare: listed.
- G0447 with Cigna: listed.
- G0447 with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield: listed.
- G0447 with Medicare: limited.
- G0447 with TRICARE: listed.
The rest of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' MNT rules
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts row has its codes, telehealth rule, limits and referrals, each with its source. Other codes we checked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: 99401-99404. What G0447 means at any payer is on the G0447 code page. Before the claim goes out, compare it with the row in the table above, then download the PDF of what you see.