HQ HCPCS Level II modifier: Group setting
HQ is a HCPCS Level II modifier: “Group setting.” It adds this detail to the code it is reported with.
Official description
HQGroup setting
HCPCS · United States
Medicare details
The indicators CMS publishes with HQ in its October 2026 file. They describe Medicare’s handling, not another payer’s.
- Medicare coverage
- Not payable by Medicare
- Added
- Jan 1, 2003
Where HQ sits
- 1GroupHCPCS modifiers
- 2Modifier HQGroup setting
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 HQ mean?
HQ is the HCPCS code for “Group setting” in CMS’s HCPCS Level II October 2026 release.
Where is HQ in the HCPCS Level II list?
HQ is listed under Modifiers.
Does Medicare cover HQ?
CMS lists HQ’s Medicare coverage as “Not payable by Medicare”. 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 HQ
All modifiersHKSpecialized mental health programs for high-risk populationsHLInternHMLess than bachelor degree levelHNBachelors degree levelHOMasters degree levelHPDoctoral levelHRFamily/couple with client presentHSFamily/couple without client presentHTMulti-disciplinary teamHUFunded by child welfare agencyHVFunded state addictions agencyHWFunded by state mental health agency