Summary & Overview
HCPCS G9624: Not Screened or Not Given Brief Alcohol Counseling
HCPCS Level II code G9624 denotes that a patient was not screened for unhealthy alcohol use with a systematic screening method or did not receive brief counseling after identification. This code captures missed opportunities in preventive behavioral health workflow and is relevant to quality measurement, reporting, and clinical documentation nationwide. It signals when expected screening or brief intervention processes were not completed during ambulatory or outpatient encounters.
Key payers in national analyses include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find context on the code’s clinical intent, where it applies in care settings, and why accurate use matters for quality reporting and continuity of care. The publication outlines typical documentation scenarios, common modifiers used with similar service lines (as provided), and offers benchmarks and policy updates when available.
The content is designed to help revenue cycle, quality, and clinical teams understand how G9624 differs from completed screening and counseling codes, how it fits into outpatient primary care workflows, and what elements of documentation are referenced by payers and quality programs. Data not available in the input will be noted where pertinent.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code G9624 indicates that a patient was not screened for unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic screening method or did not receive brief counseling after identification as an unhealthy alcohol user. The service type reflected by this code is behavioral health screening and brief intervention/documentation of non‑receipt of screening or counseling. The typical site of service for this code is ambulatory primary care or outpatient behavioral health settings, where routine screening for unhealthy alcohol use and brief counseling are commonly delivered.
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 52-year-old male presents to a primary care clinic for an annual wellness visit. During intake, the medical assistant documents vital signs but the clinic’s electronic health record did not prompt a standardized alcohol screening questionnaire during the visit. The clinician performs a focused history and addresses several chronic conditions, but a validated screening tool for unhealthy alcohol use (for example, AUDIT-C or single-question screening) is not completed. Because no systematic screening occurred, the visit is eligible for reporting with G9624 to indicate the patient was not screened for unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic method or did not receive brief counseling if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user.
Typical workflow: Patient checks in, triage and vitals are completed, clinician encounter occurs. If the standardized screening tool is omitted or a positive screen is identified but brief counseling is not provided during the encounter, G9624 is reported to document the absence of required screening or counseling. Typical settings include ambulatory primary care clinics, urgent care centers, and outpatient family medicine or internal medicine practices. The typical patient scenario includes adult preventive care, chronic disease follow-up, or acute visits where behavioral health screening is expected but not performed or counseling is not delivered.
Coding Specifications
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