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    OpenPayerBilling CodesProcedures / Professional ServicesHCPCS hcpcs-g8987-self-care-functional-assessment-therapy
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    HCPCS G8987: Self-Care Functional Limitation Assessment

    HCPCS Level II code G8987 documents a standardized assessment of self-care functional limitation at the start of a therapy episode and at defined reporting intervals; the service is an outcome/status measurement typically performed by therapy clinicians (physical or occupational therapy) in inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient therapy clinics, or home health settings to track baseline function and changes over the course of care.

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 68-year-old patient with chronic osteoarthritis of the knee is referred to outpatient physical therapy for a 6-week episode of care to address difficulty with activities of daily living. At the initial evaluation (therapy episode outset) the therapist performs a standardized self-care functional assessment using validated measures (for example, the Barthel Index or the Functional Independence Measure) to document the patient’s current status and establish baseline limitation in self-care tasks (bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding, grooming). The same self-care functional limitation assessment is repeated at regular reporting intervals (for example, every 10 treatment visits or at the end of a 30- or 60-day reporting period) to track change and to support functional outcomes reporting and payor requirements.

    Clinical workflow:

    • Referral and order received from the treating clinician.

    • Initial evaluation visit: therapist documents history, performs tests/measures including the self-care functional limitation assessment captured as the current status at episode outset, and sets measurable goals.

    • Ongoing therapy visits: interventions focused on improving self-care capacity (therapeutic exercise, functional training, ADL re-training, adaptive equipment training).

    • Reporting intervals: therapist repeats the self-care functional limitation assessment at defined intervals and documents the current status to compare with baseline and to populate quality/outcomes reporting fields required by payors and regulatory programs.

    • Discharge visit: final self-care functional limitation status recorded to summarize episode outcomes and justify continued care or discharge planning.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    97110Therapeutic exercises to develop strength, endurance, range of motion and flexibilityCommonly delivered during the therapy episode to address impairments identified by the self-care functional assessment
    97530Therapeutic activities, direct (one-on-one) patient contact, each 15 minutesUsed to provide functional training and ADL-focused tasks that address self-care limitations measured by the assessment
    97112Neuromuscular re-education of movement, balance, coordination, kinesthetic sense, posture, and proprioceptionUsed when the assessment identifies neuromuscular deficits impacting self-care performance
    97001Physical therapy evaluationInitial evaluation code billed at episode outset when baseline functional status, including self-care limitation, is established
    97140

    Related Modifiers

    5 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    24Modifier 24 denotes an unrelated evaluation and management (E/M) service performed by the same physician or qualified healthcare professional during a postoperative global period. Per CPT guidance,…- Use modifier 24 when you report an evaluation and management (E/M) service performed by the same physician or same-specialty group during a procedure’s postoperative global period that is unrelated…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
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    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    225100000XPhysical TherapistPhysical therapists (PTs) are licensed health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who…
    225200000XPhysical Therapy Assistant(1)Physical therapist assistants are skilled health care providers who are graduates of a physical therapist assistant associate degree program accred…
    101200000XDrama TherapistDrama therapists are trained in the intentional use of drama and theatre processes to achieve therapeutic goals. Drama therapists provide psychotherap…
    282NC2000XChildren's HospitalHospitals · General Acute Care Hospital
    207V00000XObstetrics & Gynecology PhysicianAn obstetrician/gynecologist possesses special knowledge, skills and professional capability in the medical and surgical care of the female reproducti…
    207VC0300XComplex Family Planning PhysicianA complex family planning physician specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with complex reproductive needs. These physicians are ex…
    261QE0800XEndoscopy Clinic/CenterAmbulatory Health Care Facilities · Clinic/Center
    2086S0129XVascular Surgery PhysicianA surgeon with expertise in the management of surgical disorders of the blood vessels, excluding the intracranial vessels or the heart.

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    25 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    E11.9Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications
    F32.9Major depressive disorder, single episode, unspecified
    F33.1Major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate
    G81.90Hemiplegia, unspecified affecting unspecified side
    G82.20Paraplegia, unspecified
    I69.391Dysphagia following cerebral infarction
    I69.398Other sequelae of cerebral infarction
    M16.11Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, right hip
    M16.12Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, left hip
    M17.0Bilateral primary osteoarthritis of knee

    Showing 1–10 of 25

    Related Codes

    HCPCS-G9490-HOME-ASSESSMENT-NON-HOMEBOUND

    HCPCS G9490: Home Visit Patient Assessment for Non-Homebound Beneficiary

    HCPCS-G0008-INFLUENZA-VACCINE-ADMINISTRATION

    HCPCS G0008: Administration of Influenza Virus Vaccine

    HCPCS-G0009-PNEUMOCOCCAL-VACCINE-ADMINISTRATION

    HCPCS G0009: Administration of Pneumococcal Vaccine

    HCPCS-G0010-HEPATITIS-B-VACCINE-ADMINISTRATION

    HCPCS G0010: Administration of Hepatitis B Vaccine

    HCPCS-G0011-PREP-COUNSELING-HIV-RISK-REDUCTION-ADHERENCE

    HCPCS G0011: Individual PrEP Counseling, HIV Risk Assessment

    HCPCS-G0012-PRE-EXPOSURE-PROPHYLAXIS-INJECTION-HIV-PREVENTION

    HCPCS G0012: Injection of PrEP Drug for HIV Prevention

    HCPCS-G0013-PREP-INDIVIDUAL-COUNSELING-HIV-RISK-REDUCTION

    HCPCS G0013: Individual PrEP Counseling by Clinical Staff

    HCPCS-G0017-PSYCHOTHERAPY-CRISIS-FIRST-60-MINUTES-NON-OFFICE

    HCPCS G0017: Psychotherapy for Crisis, First 60 Minutes

    HCPCS-G0018-PSYCHOTHERAPY-CRISIS-ADDITIONAL-30-MINUTES-NON-OFFICE

    HCPCS G0018: Psychotherapy for Crisis, Additional 30 Minutes

    HCPCS-G0019-COMMUNITY-HEALTH-INTEGRATION-SDOH-CARE-COORDINATION

    HCPCS G0019: Community Health Integration, Person-Centered Assessment

    Showing 1–10 of 1996

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    Manual therapy techniques (e.g., mobilization/manipulation)
    May be provided adjunctively within the episode to improve impairments affecting self-care function