Key facts for G0168
- Medicare payment
- $105.55
- PFS non-facility, national; facility $14.03
- Coverage code
- C
- carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage
- Practitioner MUE
- 2
- MAI 3
- NCCI PTP pairs
- 405
- 349 hospital outpatient
- LCDs and articles
- 0 / 0
TL;DR
CMS describes HCPCS G0168, added in 2000, as "Wound closure utilizing tissue adhesive(s) only". Medicare's October 2026 physician fee schedule pays G0168 $105.55 non-facility and $14.03 facility nationally, from 0.30 work, 2.79 practice-expense and 0.07 malpractice RVUs at the $33.4009 conversion factor. Qualifying APM participants get $106.07 at $33.5675. Global period 000 (0-day global period). MUE limits for G0168: practitioner 2 (MAI 3, Clinical: Data); hospital outpatient 2 (MAI 3, Clinical: Data). In the NCCI PTP files v323r0 G0168 appears in 212 practitioner pairs as column 2 and 193 as column 1 (most often with 0566T, 11010, 11011), and in 212 hospital outpatient pairs as column 2 and 137 as column 1. No current LCD or billing article lists G0168; its HCPCS coverage code is C (carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage). OPPS status indicator B: Non-allowed item or service for OPPS. HCPCS record: BETOS P6C (minor procedures - other (Medicare fee schedule)); pricing indicator 00; type of service 1 (medical care). Nearby codes: G0166, G0175, G0160, G0176.
G0168 descriptor and code status
The October 2026 HCPCS Level II file describes G0168 as “Wound closure utilizing tissue adhesive(s) only”. It sits in the G section (procedures and professional services, temporary), listed with the other G codes.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Short descriptor | Wound closure by adhesive |
| Added to HCPCS | 2000-01-01 |
| Last action | N (no maintenance), effective 2000-01-01 |
| Coverage code | C: carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage |
| Pricing indicator | 00: not separately priced by Part B |
| BETOS category | P6C: minor procedures - other (Medicare fee schedule) |
| Type of service | 1: medical care |
Medicare payment for G0168
Medicare's October 2026 physician fee schedule pays G0168 $105.55 non-facility and $14.03 facility nationally, from 0.30 work, 2.79 practice-expense and 0.07 malpractice RVUs at the $33.4009 conversion factor. Qualifying APM participants get $106.07 at $33.5675. Global period 000 (0-day global period). The amounts below are national figures from the October 2026 CMS files; the contractor applies the locality, rural or state adjustment and the beneficiary's cost sharing.
Physician fee schedule (RVU26D)
Status A: active: paid separately under the physician fee schedule when covered. Global period 000 (0-day global period); PC/TC indicator 0 (physician service; the professional/technical split does not apply).
| Component | Non-facility | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Work RVU | 0.30 | 0.30 |
| Practice expense RVU | 2.79 | 0.05 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.07 | 0.07 |
| Total RVUs | 3.16 | 0.42 |
| National payment (CF $33.4009) | $105.55 | $14.03 |
| Qualifying APM participant (CF $33.5675) | $106.07 | $14.10 |
- Multiple procedures (modifier 51): standard multiple-procedure reduction (100%, then 50%)
- Bilateral (modifier 50): 150% bilateral adjustment does not apply
- Assistant at surgery: assistant at surgery may not be paid; co-surgeons: co-surgeons not permitted; team surgery: team surgeons not permitted
- Physician supervision of diagnostic procedures: supervision concept does not apply
Hospital outpatient (OPPS Addendum B)
Status indicator B (Non-allowed item or service for OPPS), with no separate OPPS payment rate.
Medically Unlikely Edits for G0168
MUE limits for G0168: practitioner 2 (MAI 3, Clinical: Data); hospital outpatient 2 (MAI 3, Clinical: Data). The practitioner MUE is a date-of-service clinical edit: units above the limit deny but can be paid on appeal with documentation.
| Setting | MUE (units/DOS) | MAI | CMS rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practitioner services | 2 | 3 Date of Service Edit: Clinical | Clinical: Data |
| Facility outpatient hospital | 2 | 3 Date of Service Edit: Clinical | Clinical: Data |
The MUE lookup for G0168 shows every setting next to any other code on the same claim.
NCCI edits and add-on rules
In the practitioner PTP file v323r0, G0168 is the column-2 (bundled) code in 212 active pairs, 100% of which allow a modifier and the column-1 code in 193 (67% modifier-allowed); 123 earlier pairs have been deleted. CMS's most frequent rationale for the bundled pairs: Standards of medical/surgical practice.
| Column-1 code | Pairs |
|---|---|
| 0566T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11010 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11011 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11012 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11055 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11056 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11057 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11102 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| Column-2 code | Pairs |
|---|---|
| 0213T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0216T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0596T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0597T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0708T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0709T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0903T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0904T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
In the hospital outpatient PTP file v323r0, G0168 is the column-2 (bundled) code in 212 active pairs, 100% of which allow a modifier and the column-1 code in 137 (100% modifier-allowed); 57 earlier pairs have been deleted. CMS's most frequent rationale for the bundled pairs: Standards of medical/surgical practice.
| Column-1 code | Pairs |
|---|---|
| 0566T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11010 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11011 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11012 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11055 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11056 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11057 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 11102 (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| Column-2 code | Pairs |
|---|---|
| 0213T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0216T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0596T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0597T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0708T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0709T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0903T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
| 0904T (CPT; descriptor licensed by AMA) | 1 |
G0168 is neither an add-on code nor a designated primary code in the 2026 Q4 NCCI add-on edit file.
Pair counts show exposure, not the answer for one claim. Check G0168 against a second code to see whether the pair bundles and whether a modifier can separate the services.
Medicare coverage policies for G0168
No current LCD or billing and coding article lists G0168. The HCPCS coverage code C means carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage, and any National Coverage Determination for the service still applies.
Denials to expect on G0168
the modifier reported is inconsistent with the code
the claim lacks information needed to adjudicate the line, such as an order, NPI or required modifier
Where QuickIntell fits for G0168 claims
QuickCode supports qualified coder review of units, modifiers and NCCI pairs for G0168 before the claim leaves, and QuickRCM carries claim readiness and the denial follow-up when an edit or coverage policy is missed.
Frequently asked questions: HCPCS G0168
What does HCPCS code G0168 describe?
"Wound closure utilizing tissue adhesive(s) only" (short descriptor "Wound closure by adhesive"), in the G section (procedures and professional services, temporary). Added 2000-01-01.
Is G0168 a CPT code?
No: CMS maintains G0168 in HCPCS Level II, while the AMA maintains CPT. People do search "G0168 CPT code", and it goes in the same procedure-code field.
What does Medicare pay for G0168?
Medicare's October 2026 physician fee schedule pays G0168 $105.55 non-facility and $14.03 facility nationally, from 0.30 work, 2.79 practice-expense and 0.07 malpractice RVUs at the $33.4009 conversion factor. Qualifying APM participants get $106.07 at $33.5675. Global period 000 (0-day global period).
How many units of G0168 can be billed per day?
MUE limits for G0168: practitioner 2 (MAI 3, Clinical: Data); hospital outpatient 2 (MAI 3, Clinical: Data). For the practitioner MUE (MAI 3), units above 2 deny for the day but can be paid on appeal with documentation; denials arrive as CARC 151.
Does Medicare cover G0168?
No current LCD or billing article lists G0168; its HCPCS coverage code is C (carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage).
Sources
Every figure on this page is taken from the CMS publications below, as released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Projection built 2026-10-10. Verify against the primary file before billing or contracting decisions. The reference methodology explains how each figure is computed from these files.
- HCPCS Level II alpha-numeric file, October 2026Version October 2026 · effective 2026-10-01 · file HCPC2026_OCT_ANWEB_09232026.txtSHA-256 c25240c63108756d…
- Medicare PFS national relative value file RVU26D (non-QPP), October 2026Version RVU26D, released 2026-08-26 · effective 2026-10-01 · file PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csvSHA-256 4d0d3f19bd954ffc…
- Medicare PFS national relative value file RVU26D (qualifying APM participants), October 2026Version RVU26D, released 2026-08-26 · effective 2026-10-01 · file PPRRVU2026_Oct_QPP.csvSHA-256 59d3734704853936…
- OPPS Addendum B, October 2026Version October 2026 · effective 2026-10-01 · file 508-compliant-version-2026_October_Web_Addendum_B.09.28.26.csvSHA-256 6ad7393a318bf1b9…
- Integrated Outpatient Code Editor v27.3 data tables: status and payment indicatorsVersion I/OCE v27.3 (October 2026) · effective 2026-10-01 · file Data_Status_Indicator.txtSHA-256 78f119ef0a435351…
- NCCI MUE table, practitioner services, effective 2026-10-01Version 2026 Q4 · effective 2026-10-01 · file MCR_MUE_PractitionerServices_Eff_10-01-2026.csvSHA-256 ef038efaf902b7bd…
- NCCI MUE table, facility services, effective 2026-10-01Version 2026 Q4 · effective 2026-10-01 · file MCR_MUE_OutpatientHospitalServices_Eff_10-01-2026.csvSHA-256 3af9f4e99cc587e2…
- NCCI MUE table, dme services, effective 2026-10-01Version 2026 Q4 · effective 2026-10-01 · file MCR_MUE_DMESupplierServices_Eff_10-01-2026.csvSHA-256 6fa4fbba852f7b74…
- NCCI PTP edits, practitioner, v323r0 (four files)Version v323r0 (2026 Q4) · effective 2026-10-01 · file ccipra-v323r0-f1.TXTSHA-256 7793c0b6686c1e22…
- NCCI PTP edits, hospital outpatient, v323r0 (four files)Version v323r0 (2026 Q4) · effective 2026-10-01 · file ccioph-v323r0-f1.txtSHA-256 063f41b91ef9faa2…
Disclaimer
This page is an operational reference compiled from CMS publications: the HCPCS Level II file, the physician, DMEPOS and clinical laboratory fee schedules, OPPS and ASC addenda, NCCI MUE, PTP and add-on edit tables and the Medicare Coverage Database. Amounts are Medicare national figures before locality and state adjustment; Medicaid and commercial payers set their own. CPT codes are shown as numbers only; CPT descriptors are copyright AMA. Nothing here is legal, clinical or billing advice.
Found a figure that does not match the CMS file? Report a data correction with the CMS file and the value you expected; the request reaches the editorial team through the contact form.