G8421 — Bmi not documented and no reason is given
G8421 is a HCPCS Level II code for bmi not documented and no reason is given. It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section. Whether Medicare pays it depends on the coverage rule below.
Medicare coverage: Carrier judgment
Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
From the coverage field of the CMS Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, release 2026Q3-Jul. This states Medicare’s position on the code, not on your particular claim.
Physician fee schedule statusM
Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.
Global period: XXX
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The CMS record for G8421
- Long descriptor
- Bmi not documented and no reason is given
- Short descriptor
- Bmi not calculated
- Added
- January 1, 2008
- BETOS
- M5D
- Pricing indicator
- 00 — Not priced by Part B
The official wording. This is what the code means.
CMS's 28-character form, which is what shows up on a remittance advice.
When CMS introduced the code.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Service not separately priced by Part B — not covered, bundled into another service, or used by Part A only.
Codes adjacent to G8421
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G8421 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G8406Clinician documented that patient was not an eligible candidate for lower extremity neurological exam measureterminated
- G8410Footwear evaluation performed and documented
- G8415Footwear evaluation was not performed
- G8416Clinician documented that patient was not an eligible candidate for footwear evaluation measure
- G8417Bmi is documented above normal parameters and a follow-up plan is documented
- G8418Bmi is documented below normal parameters and a follow-up plan is documented
- G8419Bmi documented outside normal parameters, no follow-up plan documented, no reason given
- G8420Bmi is documented within normal parameters and no follow-up plan is required
- G8422Bmi not documented, documentation the patient is not eligible for bmi calculationterminated
- G8427Eligible clinician attests to documenting in the medical record they obtained, updated, or reviewed the patient's current medications
- G8428Current list of medications not documented as obtained, updated, or reviewed by the eligible clinician, reason not given
- G8430Documentation of a medical reason(s) for not documenting, updating, or reviewing the patient's current medications list (e.g., patient is in an acute health crisis where time is of the essence and delay of treatment would jeopardize the patient's health status)
- G8431Screening for depression is documented as being positive and a follow-up plan is documented
- G8432Depression screening not documented, reason not given
- G8433Screening for depression not completed, documented patient or medical reason
- G8442Pain assessment not documented as being performed, documentation the patient is not eligible for a pain assessment using a standardized tool at the time of the encounterterminated
Questions about G8421
What is HCPCS code G8421?
G8421 is a HCPCS Level II code for bmi not documented and no reason is given. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G8421?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G8421 as "Carrier judgment". Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
How is G8421 paid under the physician fee schedule?
G8421 carries PFS status code M. Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.