Effective for dates of service on or after December 1, 2018, depression screening is reimbursable under Medi-Cal as an outpatient service. Screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment options including referral to mental health specialists and appropriate follow-up.
Billing Codes
The following chart lists procedure codes that must be used when billing for depression screening:
Recipient Category | Positive Depression Screen | Negative Depression Screen |
Pregnant or postpartum | G8431 with modifier HD |
G8510 with modifier HD |
Age 12 and older, not pregnant or postpartum | G0444 with modifier KX |
96127 |
Pregnant or Postpartum Recipients
Providers of prenatal care and postpartum care may submit claims twice per year per pregnant or postpartum recipient: once when the recipient is pregnant and once when she is postpartum. Screens that are positive for depression must be billed using HCPCS code G8431 (screening for depression is documented as being positive and a follow-up plan is documented) and modifier HD. Screens that are negative for depression must be billed using HCPCS code G8510 (screening for depression is documented as negative, a follow-up plan is not required) and modifier HD.
Postpartum Depression Screening at Well-Child Visits
Providers of well-child care may submit claims for a maternal depression screening up to four times during the infant's first year of life. Bright Futures recommends screening for maternal depression at the infant's one-month, two-month, four-month and six-month visits, with referral to the appropriate provider for further care if indicated. Screens that are positive for depression must be billed using HCPCS code G8431 and modifier HD. Screens that are negative for depression must be billed using HCPCS code G8510 and modifier HD. When a postpartum depression screening is provided at the infant's well-child visit, the screening must be billed using the infant's Medi-Cal ID. The only exception to this policy is that the mother's Medi-Cal ID may be used during the first two months of life if the infant's Medi-Cal eligibility has not yet been established.
Recipients Who Are Not Pregnant or Postpartum
Screening for depression is reimbursable for recipients 12 years of age or older who are not pregnant or postpartum, once per year, per recipient, per provider using HCPCS code G0444 (annual depression screening, 15 minutes) with modifier KX for a positive screen, and CPT code 96127 (brief emotional/behavioral assessment, with scoring and documentation, per standardized instrument) for a negative screen.
Screening Tools
Medi-Cal requires the use of a validated depression screening tool. Some examples include:
This information is reflected in the following provider manual(s):
Provider Manual(s) | Page(s) Updated |
AIDS Waiver Program Audiology and Hearing Aids Chronic Dialysis Clinics Durable Medical Equipment Expanded Access to Primary Care Program Local Educational Agency Medical Transportation Orthotics and Prosthetics Therapies Vision Care |
modif app (11) |
General Medicine Clinics and Hospitals |
eval (27–30); medne neu (8); modif app (11); non ph (10, 23); preg early (2); preg post (4); presum bill (14); spec (1) |
Home Health Agencies/Home and Community-Based Services | modif app (11); preg post (4) |
Inpatient Services | preg post (4) |
Obstetrics | eval (27–30); modif app (11); non ph (10, 23); preg early (2); preg post (4); presum bill (14) |
Pharmacy | presum bill (14) |
Psychological Services | psychol (1); psychol ex (1); spec (1) |
Rehabilitation Clinics | modif app (11); non ph (10, 23) |
The sign language interpreter services code conversion will replace HCPCS Level III local codes, commonly referred to as local codes, with HIPAA-compliant HCPCS Level II national codes. This billing requirement for sign language interpreter services is mandated by HIPAA and is effective for claims with dates of service on or after January 1, 2019.
For claims with dates of service on or after January 1, 2019, the sign language interpreter services code conversion will be replacing HCPCS Level III local codes Z0324 and Z0326 with HCPCS Level II national code T1013 (sign language or oral interpretive services, per 15 minutes).
As of January 1, 2019, HCPCS Level III local codes Z0328 and Z0329 used to bill for sign language interpreter services will no longer be reimbursable.
Sign language interpreter services are a benefit to facilitate effective communication with deaf or hearing-impaired Medi-Cal recipients. Recipients are not eligible to receive sign language interpreter services in a health facility that is required by law to provide sign language interpreter services.
Providers are encouraged to watch for sign language interpreter service updates in the NewsFlash area of the Medi-Cal website and in the monthly Medi-Cal Update. Providers may complete the Medi-Cal Subscription Service (MCSS) Form to receive timely notifications related to sign language interpreter services.
For additional information, providers may:
Questions regarding the sign language interpreter services code conversion may be submitted via email to CAMMISCodeConversion@conduent.com.
California Children’s Services (CCS) and Genetically Handicapped Persons Program (GHPP) providers can now submit Service Authorization Requests (SARs) in an electronic format (eSAR) with attachments. Attachments must be in format of PDF, JPG or TIF. Attachments must be less than 15 megabytes (MB) in size, with the sum of all attachments being less than 150 MB. This feature aims to eliminate the paper SAR process for providers with internet connectivity.
To submit eSARs, providers must:
Then, select one of the available options to submit:
Registered providers and clearinghouses can complete and submit the eSAR requests on behalf of the providers and facilities in their network.
Paper SAR submissions remain an option for low-volume SAR providers or submitters who may have technical limitations or practical reasons to do so.
Providers interested in learning more about eSAR submissions should contact the CMS Net Help Desk at cmshelp@dhcs.ca.gov or 1-866-685-8449 for helpful guidance and additional information.
This information is reflected in the following provider manual(s):
Provider Manual(s) | Page(s) Updated |
Audiology and Hearing Aids Chronic Dialysis Clinics Clinics and Hospitals Durable Medical Equipment General Medicine Home Health Agencies/Home and Community-Based Services Inpatient Services Local Educational Agency Medical Transportation Obstetrics Orthotics and Prosthetics Pharmacy Psychological Services Rehabilitation Clinics Therapies Vision Care |
cal child sar (12); genetic (4) |
The Medi-Cal Subscription Service (MCSS) is a free service that keeps you up-to-date on the latest Medi-Cal news. Subscribers receive subject-specific emails shortly after urgent announcements and other updates post on the Medi-Cal website.
Subscribing is simple and free!
After submitting the form, a welcome email will be sent to the provided email address. If you are unable to locate the welcome email in your inbox, check your junk email folder.
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