G8842 — Apnea hypopnea index (ahi), respiratory disturbance index (rdi) or respiratory event index (rei) documented or measured within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea
G8842 is a HCPCS Level II code for apnea hypopnea index (ahi), respiratory disturbance index (rdi) or respiratory event index (rei) documented or measured within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea. 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
Want the dollar amount for your locality? The fee calculator applies your GPCI and the current conversion factor.
The CMS record for G8842
- Long descriptor
- Apnea hypopnea index (ahi), respiratory disturbance index (rdi) or respiratory event index (rei) documented or measured within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea
- Short descriptor
- Ahi rdi rei doc win 2mo
- Added
- January 1, 2012
- BETOS
- M5B
- 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 G8842
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G8842 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G8825Patient not discharged to home by post-operative day #7terminated
- G8826Patient discharged to home no later than post-operative day #2 following evar
- G8833Patient not discharged to home by post-operative day #2 following evar
- G8834Patient discharged to home no later than post-operative day #2 following cea
- G8838Patient not discharged to home by post-operative day #2 following cea
- G8839Sleep apnea symptoms assessed, including presence or absence of snoring and daytime sleepiness
- G8840Documentation of reason(s) for not documenting an assessment of sleep symptoms (e.g., patient didn't have initial daytime sleepiness, patient visited between initial testing and initiation of therapy)
- G8841Sleep apnea symptoms not assessed, reason not given
- G8843Documentation of reason(s) for not measuring an apnea hypopnea index (ahi), a respiratory disturbance index (rdi), or a respiratory event index (rei) within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea (e.g., medical, neurological, or psychiatric disease that prohibits successful completion of a sleep study, patients for whom a sleep study would present a bigger risk than benefit or would pose an undue burden, dementia, patients previously diagnosed with osa and severity assessed by another provider, patients who decline ahi/rdi/rei measurement, patients who had a financial reason for not completing testing, test was ordered but not completed, patients decline because their insurance (payer) does not cover the expense)
- G8844Apnea hypopnea index (ahi), respiratory disturbance index (rdi), or respiratory event index (rei) not documented or measured within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea, reason not given
- G8845Positive airway pressure therapy prescribed
- G8846Moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea (apnea hypopnea index (ahi) or respiratory disturbance index (rdi) of 15 or greater)
- G8848Mild obstructive sleep apnea (apnea hypopnea index (ahi) or respiratory disturbance index (rdi) of less than 15)terminated
- G8849Documentation of reason(s) for not prescribing positive airway pressure therapy (e.g., patient unable to tolerate, alternative therapies use, patient declined, financial, insurance coverage)
- G8850Positive airway pressure therapy not prescribed, reason not given
- G8851Adherence to therapy was assessed at least annually through an objective informatics system or through self-reporting (if objective reporting is not available, documented)
Questions about G8842
What is HCPCS code G8842?
G8842 is a HCPCS Level II code for apnea hypopnea index (ahi), respiratory disturbance index (rdi) or respiratory event index (rei) documented or measured within 2 months after initial evaluation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G8842?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G8842 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 G8842 paid under the physician fee schedule?
G8842 carries PFS status code M. Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.