G2138 HCPCS Level II code: Back pain as measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was less than or equal to 3.0 or…
G2138 is the HCPCS code for “Back pain as measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was less than or equal to 3.0 or back pain measured by the visual analog…” in CMS’s October 2026 release, in effect from Oct 1, 2026.
Official description
G2138Back pain as measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was less than or equal to 3.0 or back pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale within three months preoperatively and at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively demonstrated an improvement of 5.0 points or greater
Short description: Bk pain vas 9-15mo <= 3
HCPCS · United States
Medicare details
The indicators CMS publishes with G2138 in its October 2026 file. They describe Medicare’s handling, not another payer’s.
- Medicare coverage
- Carrier judgment
- Medicare pricing
- Service not separately priced by Part B (e.g., services not covered, bundled, used by Part A only, etc.)
- Type of service
- Medical care
- BETOS category
- Undefined codes
- Added
- Jan 1, 2020
Where G2138 sits
- 1G codesProcedures and professional services
- 2Active code G2138Back pain as measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was less than or equal to 3.0 or back pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale within three months preoperatively and at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively demonstrated an improvement of 5.0 points or greater
Source and release
- Data release
- HCPCS Level II · October 2026
- Effective date
- Oct 1, 2026
- Publisher
- CMS
This page is built from the HCPCS Level II catalog that Vero Codes reads when it suggests codes: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’s October 2026 release, imported from the publisher’s file and checked against it. The description, notes and structured data come from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
What does HCPCS code G2138 mean?
G2138 is the HCPCS code for “Back pain as measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was less than or equal to 3.0 or back pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale within three months preoperatively and at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively demonstrated an improvement of 5.0 points or greater” in CMS’s HCPCS Level II October 2026 release.
Does Medicare cover G2138?
CMS lists G2138’s Medicare coverage as “Carrier judgment” and its pricing as “Service not separately priced by Part B (e.g., services not covered, bundled, used by Part A only, etc.)”. Coverage and payment still depend on the patient, the setting, the documentation and the payer.
Which HCPCS Level II release does this page use?
It uses CMS’s October 2026 release, in effect from Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026. It is a reference: confirm the code against the current list and the payer’s rules before you submit it.
Codes beside G2138
All G codesG2132Patients 66-80 years of age with at least one claim/encounter for frailty during the measurement period and a dispensed medication for dementia during the measurement period or…G2133Patients 66-80 years of age with at least one claim/encounter for frailty during the measurement period and either one acute inpatient encounter with a diagnosis of advanced…G2134Patients 66 years of age or older with at least one claim/encounter for frailty during the measurement period and a dispensed medication for dementia during the measurement…G2135Patients 66 years of age or older with at least one claim/encounter for frailty during the measurement period and either one acute inpatient encounter with a diagnosis of…G2136Back pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at three months (6 - 20 weeks) postoperatively was less than or equal to 3.0 or back pain measured by…G2137Back pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at three months (6 - 20 weeks) postoperatively was greater than 3.0 and back pain measured by the visual…G2139Back pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was greater than 3.0 and back pain measured by the visual…G2140Leg pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at three months (6 - 20 weeks) postoperatively was less than or equal to 3.0 or leg pain measured by the…G2141Leg pain measured by the visual analog scale (vas) or numeric pain scale at three months (6 - 20 weeks) postoperatively was greater than 3.0 and leg pain measured by the visual…G2142Functional status measured by the oswestry disability index (odi version 2.1a) at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was less than or equal to 22 or functional status…G2143Functional status measured by the oswestry disability index (odi version 2.1a) at one year (9 to 15 months) postoperatively was greater than 22 and functional status measured by…G2144Functional status measured by the oswestry disability index (odi version 2.1a) at three months (6-20 weeks) postoperatively was less than or equal to 22 or functional status…