A4931 Oral Thermometer (HCPCS) Reimbursement

HCPCS Level II code A4931 denotes a reusable oral thermometer supplied per item. The code captures a common, low-cost durable medical supply used across clinical settings for routine temperature monitoring. Nationally, standardized coding for such devices supports inventory tracking, supply billing, and consistency in reimbursement for durable medical equipment and supplies.

This analysis covers coverage and billing benchmarks for major payers: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of payer coverage patterns, typical sites of service where A4931 is billed, and contextual notes on clinical use and billing practice. Where available, benchmarks include reimbursement ranges and claim-line considerations for outpatient and institutional settings.

The publication also outlines policy-relevant details affecting the code, including supply classification and documentation practices tied to device provision. Clinical context emphasizes routine use for patient monitoring and infection-control considerations tied to reusable devices. Data not available in the input will be noted explicitly in relevant sections.

Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code A4931 describes an oral thermometer, reusable, any type, each. The item represents a reusable oral temperature-measuring device supplied to a patient or used by a provider.

Service type: Durable medical supply / medical device

Typical site of service: Outpatient clinics, physician offices, inpatient facilities, long-term care facilities, and home health settings where reusable oral thermometers are used for patient monitoring or assessment.

Clinical Context

A reusable oral thermometer (A4931) is supplied to an ambulatory adult patient with intermittent fevers who requires home monitoring of body temperature. Typical workflow: during an outpatient visit for acute febrile illness or chronic condition with fever risk (for example, chemotherapy monitoring or chronic immunosuppression follow-up), the clinician documents the medical necessity for a device to monitor oral temperature. The durable medical equipment coordinator or medical assistant documents device selection, trains the patient or caregiver on oral placement, infection-control cleaning between uses, and documents the make/model or that a reusable oral thermometer was provided. The device is picked up at clinic or shipped to the patient. Follow-up visits may review home temperature logs to guide ongoing management, and replacement is billed when a new unit is provided.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	No modifier	Standard reporting when no modifier applies
`52`	Reduced services	When a thermometer is provided with fewer features than documented in the order

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207Q00000X	Family Medicine	Primary care clinicians ordering and supplying home monitoring devices
207R00000X	Internal Medicine	Hospital-based or clinic internists who manage febrile and chronic conditions requiring monitoring
3336C0005X	Home Health	Home health agencies that supply and train patients on reusable thermometers
101Y00000X	Nurse Practitioner	Advanced practice providers who commonly document device necessity and provide training
363L00000X	Medical Equipment Supplier	Durable medical equipment suppliers who dispense and bill for `A4931`

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`R50.9`	Fever, unspecified	Primary indication for home temperature monitoring with a reusable oral thermometer
`R50.81`	Fever presenting with conditions classified elsewhere	Used when fever occurs as part of another known condition and home monitoring is needed
`Z79.899`	Other long term (current) drug therapy	Patients on chronic therapies with infection risk may require routine temperature monitoring
`Z51.11`	Encounter for antineoplastic chemotherapy	Patients receiving chemotherapy require home fever monitoring and prompt reporting of febrile episodes
`T86.10`	Infection and inflammatory reaction due to kidney transplant, unspecified	Example of immunocompromised state where close temperature surveillance is standard practice

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`99213`	Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient; typically 15 minutes	Often used for the office visit during which a reusable oral thermometer is assessed as necessary and furnished
`99406`	Smoking and tobacco-use cessation counseling visit, intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes	May be performed in same visit if counseling is delivered alongside device education (billing depends on payer rules)
`96127`	Brief emotional/behavioral assessment (e.g., depression screening)	May be performed during the same visit when assessing patient readiness to self-monitor or caregiver competency
`99070`	Supplies and materials (except spectacles), provided by the physician over and above those usually included with the office visit	Occasionally used by some payers to bill for supplies; billing rules vary and `A4931` is the HCPCS supply code for the thermometer
`EXCLUDED`	Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.

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Summary & Overview

HCPCS A4931: Oral Thermometer, Reusable