G0447 with Medicare: what the policy says
The short answerA registered dietitian can't bill G0447 to Original Medicare under their own enrollment. CMS pays it only from primary care specialties (physicians, NPs, CNSs, PAs) in a primary care setting. Dietitians bill MNT (97802, 97803) for diabetes or kidney disease instead.
By Javier Alvarez · Updated · 2 min read
1 row: Medicare. Public policy, not the member's benefits.
Medicare
Original Medicare (Part B) · All states
| 97802 | Listed (once, for the first visit) [1] |
|---|---|
| 97803 | Listed (every later individual visit) [1] |
| G0270 | Listed (hours beyond the base, after a second referral in the same year) [1] |
| G0271 | Listed (group, after a second referral in the same year) [1] |
| Diagnoses | Diabetes and kidney disease, or a kidney transplant in the last 36 months. [2] |
| Telehealth POS | POS 02 or 10. POS 10 pays the non-facility rate. Patients can be at home through December 31, 2027. [3][4][5] |
| Telehealth modifier | 95 for audio and video, 93 for audio only. [3] |
| Visit limits | 3 hours the first calendar year, 2 hours each year after. Unused hours don't carry over. More hours need a second referral (G0270, G0271). [2][1] |
| Referral and prior auth | A referral from the treating doctor is required. [2] |
| Who can bill | Registered dietitians and nutrition professionals. Dietitians are eligible telehealth practitioners. [4] |
| Payment | 2026 national rate paid to a dietitian: $31.23 per unit of 97802, $26.97 per unit of 97803 or G0270. The patient pays nothing. [6][2] |
- CMS: Medicare Claims Processing Manual ch. 4, section 300 Medical Nutrition Therapy (Rev. 12694, 06-21-24), checked October 30, 2026
- Medicare.gov: Medical nutrition therapy services, checked October 22, 2026
- CMS: Change Request 13582 (POS 02 or 10 paired with modifier 95 or 93, PDF), checked October 22, 2026
- CMS MLN901705: Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring, December 2025 (PDF), checked October 22, 2026
- CMS: Telehealth FAQ, updated 10/8/2026 (home telehealth through Dec 31, 2027, PDF), checked October 22, 2026
- CMS: PFS Relative Value Files, RVU26D, checked October 22, 2026
What Medicare's policy says about G0447
G0447 is the HCPCS code for face-to-face behavioral counseling for obesity, 15 minutes. At Medicare it is limited: paid only in a narrow case, see the note. Each line below is from Medicare's own text:
- Where it is listed. Covered under NCD 210.12 and Claims Processing Manual ch. 18 s.200, effective 11/29/2011, for beneficiaries with BMI of 30 or more. (CMS, checked October 30, 2026; CMS, checked October 30, 2026)
- Billed with. Z68.30 to Z68.39 and Z68.41 to Z68.45 (adult BMI 30.0 to 70 or greater). (CMS, checked October 30, 2026)
- When it pays. Counseling must be by a qualified primary care physician or other primary care practitioner in a primary care setting. Emergency departments, inpatient settings, ASCs, IDTFs, SNFs, inpatient rehab and hospices are not primary care settings. POS 11, 19, 22, 49 or 71 only. Any other POS is denied. (CMS, checked October 30, 2026; CMS, checked October 30, 2026)
- How often. Up to 22 sessions in a 12-month period, counting G0447 and G0473 together. Weekly for month 1, every other week for months 2-6, monthly for months 7-12 only if the patient lost at least 3 kg in the first 6 months. Over 22 sessions: denied with CARC 119. (CMS, checked October 30, 2026; CMS, checked October 30, 2026)
- What the member pays. Coinsurance and the Part B deductible are waived. (CMS, checked October 30, 2026; CMS, checked October 30, 2026)
- Who can bill it. Claims Processing Manual ch. 18 s.200.3 allows G0447 and G0473 only from provider specialties 01 General Practice, 08 Family Practice, 11 Internal Medicine, 16 Obstetrics/Gynecology, 37 Pediatric Medicine, 38 Geriatric Medicine, 50 Nurse Practitioner, 89 Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist and 97 Physician Assistant. Other specialties are denied. The dietitian/nutritionist specialty is 71 (ch. 4 s.300.5). Our reading: a registered dietitian cannot bill G0447 to Original Medicare. (CMS, checked October 30, 2026; CMS, checked October 30, 2026)
- Telehealth. On the CMS CY 2026 list of Medicare telehealth services (action: Maintain). (CMS, checked October 30, 2026)
G0447 at other payers
- G0447 with BCBS of IL, TX, OK and NM (HCSC): limited.
- G0447 with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: listed.
- 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 TRICARE: listed.
The rest of Medicare's MNT rules
The Medicare row has its codes, telehealth rule, limits and referrals, each with its source. Other codes we checked at Medicare: 97802, 97803, 97804, G0270, G0271, G0473, Z68 and G0108. 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.