What a POS code does on a claim
The place of service code goes on the service lines of a professional claim, in item 24B of the CMS-1500 form or the matching field of the 837P transaction, where chapter 26 asks for a code identifying the setting “for each item used or service performed” (section 10.4). For services paid under the physician fee schedule and anesthesia services, section 10.6 adds that “only one POS may be submitted on the Form CMS-1500.” In general the code reflects where the patient received the face-to-face service, while item 32 carries the address of the practitioner's service location that decides the payment locality. Two exceptions follow the patient's registration rather than the room: a registered hospital inpatient is reported with at least POS 21 and a registered hospital outpatient with at least POS 19 or 22. Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospices and the other institutional providers bill their own facility claims on the 837I, where a type of bill takes the place of the POS code.
The code matters for payment because many physician fee schedule services have two rates. The non-facility rate includes the practice expense of running an office; the facility rate is lower because the facility, not the practitioner, carries those costs. Chapter 12, section 20.4.2 of the Claims Processing Manual puts it this way: “The rate, facility or nonfacility, that a physician service is paid under the MPFS is determined by the Place of service (POS) code that is used to identify the setting where the beneficiary received the face-to-face encounter with the physician, nonphysician practitioner (NPP) or other supplier. In general, the POS code reflects the actual place where the beneficiary receives the face-to-face service and determines whether the facility or nonfacility payment rate is paid.” Commercial plans and Medicaid programs publish their own place of service policies, so check the payer's rules before relying on the Medicare designation shown here.
All 52 place of service codes and the unassigned ranges
Code, CMS name and definition as published on the CMS code set page, the Medicare physician fee schedule rate from Pub. 100-04 chapter 26 section 10.5, and the effective date. Linked codes have a page with setting rules and comparisons; the others are complete here.
| POS | Name | CMS definition | Medicare rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Pharmacy | A facility or location where drugs and other medically related items and services are sold, dispensed, or otherwise provided directly to patients. | Non-facility rate | October 1, 2003 |
| 02 | Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home | The location where health services and health related services are provided or received, through telecommunication technology. Patient is not located in their home when receiving health services or health related services through telecommunication technology. | Facility rate | January 1, 2017 |
| 03 | School | A facility whose primary purpose is education. | Non-facility rate | January 1, 2003 |
| 04 | Homeless Shelter | A facility or location whose primary purpose is to provide temporary housing to homeless individuals (e.g., emergency shelters, individual or family shelters). | Non-facility rate | January 1, 2003 |
| 05 | Indian Health Service Free-standing Facility | A facility or location, owned and operated by the Indian Health Service, which provides diagnostic, therapeutic (surgical and non-surgical), and rehabilitation services to American Indians and Alaska Natives who do not require hospitalization. | Not used to adjudicate Medicare claims | January 1, 2003 |
| 06 | Indian Health Service Provider-based Facility | A facility or location, owned and operated by the Indian Health Service, which provides diagnostic, therapeutic (surgical and non-surgical), and rehabilitation services rendered by, or under the supervision of, physicians to American Indians and Alaska Natives admitted as inpatients or outpatients. | Not used to adjudicate Medicare claims | January 1, 2003 |
| 07 | Tribal 638 Free-standing Facility | A facility or location owned and operated by a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribe or tribal organization under a 638 agreement, which provides diagnostic, therapeutic (surgical and non-surgical), and rehabilitation services to tribal members who do not require hospitalization. | Not used to adjudicate Medicare claims | January 1, 2003 |
| 08 | Tribal 638 Provider-based Facility | A facility or location owned and operated by a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribe or tribal organization under a 638 agreement, which provides diagnostic, therapeutic (surgical and non-surgical), and rehabilitation services to tribal members admitted as inpatients or outpatients. | Not used to adjudicate Medicare claims | January 1, 2003 |
| 09 | Prison/Correctional Facility | A prison, jail, reformatory, work farm, detention center, or any other similar facility maintained by either Federal, State or local authorities for the purpose of confinement or rehabilitation of adult or juvenile criminal offenders. | Non-facility rate | July 1, 2006 |
| 10 | Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home | The location where health services and health related services are provided or received, through telecommunication technology. Patient is located in their home (which is a location other than a hospital or other facility where the patient receives care in a private residence) when receiving health services or health related services through telecommunication technology. | Non-facility rate | January 1, 2022 |
| 11 | Office | Location, other than a hospital, skilled nursing facility (SNF), military treatment facility, community health center, State or local public health clinic, or intermediate care facility (ICF), where the health professional routinely provides health examinations, diagnosis, and treatment of illness or injury on an ambulatory basis. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 12 | Home | Location, other than a hospital or other facility, where the patient receives care in a private residence. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 13 | Assisted Living Facility | Congregate residential facility with self-contained living units providing assessment of each resident's needs and on-site support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the capacity to deliver or arrange for services including some health care and other services. | Non-facility rate | October 1, 2003 |
| 14 | Group Home | A residence, with shared living areas, where clients receive supervision and other services such as social and/or behavioral services, custodial service, and minimal services (e.g., medication administration). | Non-facility rate | October 1, 2003 |
| 15 | Mobile Unit | A facility/unit that moves from place-to-place equipped to provide preventive, screening, diagnostic, and/or treatment services. | Non-facility rate | January 1, 2003 |
| 16 | Temporary Lodging | A short term accommodation such as a hotel, camp ground, hostel, cruise ship or resort where the patient receives care, and which is not identified by any other POS code. | Non-facility rate | January 1, 2008 |
| 17 | Walk-in Retail Health Clinic | A walk-in health clinic, other than an office, urgent care facility, pharmacy or independent clinic and not described by any other Place of Service code, that is located within a retail operation and provides, on an ambulatory basis, preventive and primary care services. | Non-facility rate | May 1, 2010 |
| 18 | Place of Employment-Worksite | A location, not described by any other POS code, owned or operated by a public or private entity where the patient is employed, and where a health professional provides on-going or episodic occupational medical, therapeutic or rehabilitative services to the individual. | Not used to adjudicate Medicare claims | January 1, 2013 |
| 19 | Off Campus-Outpatient Hospital | A portion of an off-campus hospital provider based department which provides diagnostic, therapeutic (both surgical and nonsurgical), and rehabilitation services to sick or injured persons who do not require hospitalization or institutionalization. | Facility rate | January 1, 2016 |
| 20 | Urgent Care Facility | Location, distinct from a hospital emergency room, an office, or a clinic, whose purpose is to diagnose and treat illness or injury for unscheduled, ambulatory patients seeking immediate medical attention. | Non-facility rate | January 1, 2003 |
| 21 | Inpatient Hospital | A facility, other than psychiatric, which primarily provides diagnostic, therapeutic (both surgical and nonsurgical), and rehabilitation services by, or under, the supervision of physicians to patients admitted for a variety of medical conditions. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 22 | On Campus-Outpatient Hospital | A portion of a hospital’s main campus which provides diagnostic, therapeutic (both surgical and nonsurgical), and rehabilitation services to sick or injured persons who do not require hospitalization or institutionalization. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 23 | Emergency Room – Hospital | A portion of a hospital where emergency diagnosis and treatment of illness or injury is provided. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 24 | Ambulatory Surgical Center | A freestanding facility, other than a physician's office, where surgical and diagnostic services are provided on an ambulatory basis. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 25 | Birthing Center | A facility, other than a hospital's maternity facilities or a physician's office, which provides a setting for labor, delivery, and immediate post-partum care as well as immediate care of new born infants. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 26 | Military Treatment Facility | A medical facility operated by one or more of the Uniformed Services. Military Treatment Facility (MTF) also refers to certain former U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) facilities now designated as Uniformed Service Treatment Facilities (USTF). | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 27 | Outreach Site/Street | A non-permanent location on the street or found environment, not described by any other POS code, where health professionals provide preventive, screening, diagnostic, and/or treatment services to unsheltered homeless individuals. | Non-facility rate | October 1, 2023 |
| 28-30 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 31 | Skilled Nursing Facility | A facility which primarily provides inpatient skilled nursing care and related services to patients who require medical, nursing, or rehabilitative services but does not provide the level of care or treatment available in a hospital. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 32 | Nursing Facility | A facility which primarily provides to residents skilled nursing care and related services for the rehabilitation of injured, disabled, or sick persons, or, on a regular basis, health-related care services above the level of custodial care to other than individuals with intellectual disabilities. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 33 | Custodial Care Facility | A facility which provides room, board and other personal assistance services, generally on a long-term basis, and which does not include a medical component. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 34 | Hospice | A facility, other than a patient's home, in which palliative and supportive care for terminally ill patients and their families are provided. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 35-40 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 41 | Ambulance – Land | A land vehicle specifically designed, equipped and staffed for lifesaving and transporting the sick or injured. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 42 | Ambulance – Air or Water | An air or water vehicle specifically designed, equipped and staffed for lifesaving and transporting the sick or injured. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 43-48 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 49 | Independent Clinic | A location, not part of a hospital and not described by any other Place of Service code, that is organized and operated to provide preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, or palliative services to outpatients only. | Non-facility rate | October 1, 2003 |
| 50 | Federally Qualified Health Center | A facility located in a medically underserved area that provides Medicare beneficiaries preventive primary medical care under the general direction of a physician. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 51 | Inpatient Psychiatric Facility | A facility that provides inpatient psychiatric services for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness on a 24-hour basis, by or under the supervision of a physician. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 52 | Psychiatric Facility-Partial Hospitalization | A facility for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness that provides a planned therapeutic program for patients who do not require full time hospitalization, but who need broader programs than are possible from outpatient visits to a hospital-based or hospital-affiliated facility. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 53 | Community Mental Health Center | A facility that provides the following services: outpatient services, including specialized outpatient services for children, the elderly, individuals who are chronically ill, and residents of the CMHC's mental health services area who have been discharged from inpatient treatment at a mental health facility; 24 hour a day emergency care services; day treatment, other partial hospitalization services, or psychosocial rehabilitation services; screening for patients being considered for admission to State mental health facilities to determine the appropriateness of such admission; and consultation and education services. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 54 | Intermediate Care Facility/Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities | A facility which primarily provides health-related care and services above the level of custodial care to individuals but does not provide the level of care or treatment available in a hospital or SNF. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 55 | Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Facility | A facility which provides treatment for substance (alcohol and drug) abuse to live-in residents who do not require acute medical care. Services include individual and group therapy and counseling, family counseling, laboratory tests, drugs and supplies, psychological testing, and room and board. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 56 | Psychiatric Residential Treatment Center | A facility or distinct part of a facility for psychiatric care which provides a total 24-hour therapeutically planned and professionally staffed group living and learning environment. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 57 | Non-residential Substance Abuse Treatment Facility | A location which provides treatment for substance (alcohol and drug) abuse on an ambulatory basis. Services include individual and group therapy and counseling, family counseling, laboratory tests, drugs and supplies, and psychological testing. | Non-facility rate | October 1, 2003 |
| 58 | Non-residential Opioid Treatment Facility | A location that provides treatment for opioid use disorder on an ambulatory basis. Services include methadone and other forms of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). | Non-facility rate | January 1, 2020 |
| 59 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 60 | Mass Immunization Center | A location where providers administer pneumococcal pneumonia and influenza virus vaccinations and submit these services as electronic media claims, paper claims, or using the roster billing method. This generally takes place in a mass immunization setting, such as, a public health center, pharmacy, or mall but may include a physician office setting. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 61 | Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility | A facility that provides comprehensive rehabilitation services under the supervision of a physician to inpatients with physical disabilities. Services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, social or psychological services, and orthotics and prosthetics services. | Facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 62 | Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility | A facility that provides comprehensive rehabilitation services under the supervision of a physician to outpatients with physical disabilities. Services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology services. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 63-64 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 65 | End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Facility | A facility other than a hospital, which provides dialysis treatment, maintenance, and/or training to patients or caregivers on an ambulatory or home-care basis. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 66 | Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Center | A facility or location providing comprehensive medical and social services as part of the Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). This includes, but is not limited to, primary care; social work services; restorative therapies, including physical and occupational therapy; personal care and supportive services; nutritional counseling; recreational therapy; and meals when the individual is enrolled in PACE. | Not used to adjudicate Medicare claims | August 1, 2024 |
| 67-70 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 71 | Public Health Clinic | A facility maintained by either State or local health departments that provides ambulatory primary medical care under the general direction of a physician. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 72 | Rural Health Clinic | A certified facility which is located in a rural medically underserved area that provides ambulatory primary medical care under the general direction of a physician. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 73-80 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 81 | Independent Laboratory | A laboratory certified to perform diagnostic and/or clinical tests independent of an institution or a physician's office. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
| 82-98 | Unassigned | Not assigned by CMS. Medicare returns a claim line with an unassigned code as unprocessable. | — | — |
| 99 | Other Place of Service | Other place of service not identified above. | Non-facility rate | Before 2003 |
Place of service codes by setting
The same building can need different codes depending on the patient's registration and coverage, so it helps to read the codes in groups. Each group below lists its codes in numeric order with the Medicare rate.
Telehealth
Hospital inpatient, outpatient and emergency department
Offices, clinics and urgent care
Ambulatory surgical and birthing centers
Nursing, hospice, rehabilitation, dialysis and PACE facilities
- 31 Skilled Nursing Facility (F)
- 32 Nursing Facility (NF)
- 34 Hospice (F)
- 61 Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (F)
- 62 Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (NF)
- 65 End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Facility (NF)
- 66 Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Center (not Medicare)
Home and residential care
Psychiatric and substance use treatment
- 51 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (F)
- 52 Psychiatric Facility-Partial Hospitalization (F)
- 53 Community Mental Health Center (F)
- 55 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (NF)
- 56 Psychiatric Residential Treatment Center (F)
- 57 Non-residential Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (NF)
- 58 Non-residential Opioid Treatment Facility (NF)
Schools, shelters, workplaces, outreach, mobile units and mass immunization
Pharmacy and independent laboratory
Indian Health Service, tribal and military facilities
Other place of service
Telehealth: POS 02 vs POS 10
Both codes mark a Medicare telehealth service, and since 2024 they are the only two place of service codes Medicare accepts on a telehealth claim (chapter 26, section 10.5). The deciding fact is where the patient is: POS 10 when the patient is at home, POS 02 when the patient is anywhere else. The choice sets the payment, because POS 02 is paid at the facility rate and POS 10 at the non-facility rate, while the telehealth modifier (95 for audio and video, 93 for audio only) only states the modality.
Beginning in CY 2024, practitioners may receive either the facility or the non-facility payment rate for an otherwise eligible Medicare telehealth service, depending on whether the billing practitioner selects POS code 02 or POS code 10. The only two valid POS codes for Medicare telehealth billing in CY 2024 are POS 02 and POS 10. As appropriate, POS 02 or POS 10 may be used and must be paired with the appropriate telehealth modifier (modifier 93 for audio-only and modifier 95 for audio/video). The payment rate for POS 02 is the facility payment rate (F); the payment rate for POS 10 is the non-facility rate (NF). Use of audio-only (93) or audio-video (95) does not change rate of payment, only the POS code determines the non-facility or facility payment rate.
Read the full rules for POS 10 for a patient at home and POS 02 for other locations, and the codes Medicare pays as telehealth on the 2026 Medicare telehealth services list.
Facility and non-facility rates by POS code
Chapter 26, section 10.5 of the Claims Processing Manual marks every code F (facility rate), NF (non-facility rate) or not applicable for Medicare adjudication, and local contractors that build a crosswalk for a code without national policy must map a facility code to another facility code and a non-facility code to another non-facility code. Outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy are paid at the non-facility rate in every setting, and so is every service of a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility.
Facility rate (16)
02, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 31, 34, 41, 42, 51, 52, 53, 56, 61
Non-facility rate (30)
01, 03, 04, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 25, 27, 32, 33, 49, 50, 54, 55, 57, 58, 60, 62, 65, 71, 72, 81, 99
Not used to adjudicate Medicare claims (6)
05, 06, 07, 08, 18, 66
Hospital outpatient departments and the PO, PN and PD modifiers
CMS split the old Outpatient Hospital code in 2016: POS 22 is now the on-campus department and POS 19 an off-campus provider-based department. The hospital's own claim for the same visit marks off-campus work with HCPCS modifiers instead, and the professional claim follows the POS rules above. The descriptors below are the CMS HCPCS Level II descriptors; the Level II modifier list has the rest.
The place of service (POS) code for “Outpatient Hospital” has been expanded. The description of POS 22 has been revised from “Outpatient Hospital” to “On Campus-Outpatient Hospital” and POS 19 has been created for the “Off Campus- Outpatient Hospital” setting. Throughout this Internet Only Manual (IOM) you may find references to “Outpatient Hospital” that do not differentiate between the “On Campus” or “Off Campus” setting; however, any reference to POS 22 (formerly “Outpatient Hospital”) found anywhere within the IOM is now defined as “On Campus-Outpatient Hospital.” In addition, POS 19 will also apply in the majority of situations describing an outpatient hospital setting. When a physician/practitioner furnishes services to an outpatient of a hospital, payment is made under the PFS at the facility rate. Physicians/practitioners who furnish services to a hospital outpatient, including in a hospital outpatient department (including in a provider-based department of that hospital) or under arrangement to a hospital shall, at a minimum, report the off campus-outpatient hospital POS code 19 or on campus-outpatient hospital POS code 22 irrespective of the setting where the patient actually receives the face-to-face encounter. In other words, reporting the outpatient hospital POS code 19 or 22 is a minimum requirement for purposes of triggering the facility payment amount under the PFS when services are provided to a registered outpatient. If the physician/practitioner is aware of the exact setting where the beneficiary is a registered hospital outpatient, the appropriate outpatient facility POS code may be reported consistent with the code list annotated in this section (instead of POS 19 or 22). For example, physicians/practitioners may use POS code 23 for services furnished to a patient registered in the emergency room, POS 24 for patients registered in an ambulatory surgical center, and POS 56 for patients registered in a psychiatric residential treatment center.
NOTE: Physicians/practitioners who perform services in a hospital outpatient department shall use, at a minimum, POS code 19 (Off Campus- Outpatient Hospital) or POS code 22 (On Campus-Outpatient Hospital). Code 19 or 22 (or other appropriate outpatient department POS code as described above) shall be used unless the physician maintains separate office space in the hospital or on the hospital campus and that physician office space is not considered a provider-based department of the hospital as defined in 42. C.F.R. 413.65. Physicians shall use POS code 11 (office) when services are performed in a separately maintained physician office space in the hospital or on the hospital campus and that physician office space is not considered a provider-based department of the hospital. Use of POS code 11(office) in the hospital outpatient department or on hospital campus is subject to the physician self-referral provisions set forth in 42 C.F.R 411.353 through 411.357.
| Modifier | CMS descriptor | Added |
|---|---|---|
| PO | Excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | January 1, 2015 |
| PN | Non-excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | January 1, 2017 |
| PD | Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days | January 1, 2012 |
Denials that point to the place of service
Three remittance codes trace back to the place of service. CARC 5 says the procedure code or bill type does not fit the place of service, CARC 58 says the payer judged the setting inappropriate or invalid for the service, and remark M77 flags a missing, invalid or inappropriate place of service. Medicare returns a professional claim with no POS, an unassigned code, or a code that conflicts with a site-specific procedure as unprocessable with group code CO, CARC 16 and M77 (chapter 26, section 10.6). Before resubmitting, compare the code with the patient's registration on the date of service, not only with the room the visit happened in.
Most searched place of service codes
Monthly US Google searches for the code (the higher of 'pos {code}' and 'place of service {code}', Google Ads, October 2026). Hospital outpatient, office, telehealth and inpatient codes lead.
| POS | Name | Medicare rate | Searches / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | On Campus-Outpatient Hospital | Facility rate | 3,600 |
| 11 | Office | Non-facility rate | 2,900 |
| 10 | Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home | Non-facility rate | 2,400 |
| 21 | Inpatient Hospital | Facility rate | 2,400 |
| 02 | Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home | Facility rate | 1,300 |
| 12 | Home | Non-facility rate | 1,300 |
| 19 | Off Campus-Outpatient Hospital | Facility rate | 1,300 |
| 23 | Emergency Room – Hospital | Facility rate | 1,300 |
| 24 | Ambulatory Surgical Center | Facility rate | 1,000 |
| 20 | Urgent Care Facility | Non-facility rate | 720 |
| 31 | Skilled Nursing Facility | Facility rate | 720 |
| 32 | Nursing Facility | Non-facility rate | 590 |
Where QuickIntell fits with place of service
QuickRCM covers eligibility, claim readiness, denials, posting and A/R with configurable automation and human review, the stage where the place of service code is checked against the setting, the registration and the modifier before the claim goes out, and where CARC 5, CARC 58 and M77 denials are worked.
Frequently asked questions
What is a place of service code?
A place of service (POS) code is the two-digit code on a professional claim that says where the service was furnished: an office (11), a patient's home (12), an on-campus hospital outpatient department (22) and so on. It goes in item 24B of the CMS-1500 form or its 837P equivalent. Institutional claims from hospitals and other facilities identify the setting with a type of bill instead.
How many place of service codes are there?
The CMS code set currently assigns 52 codes, from 01 Pharmacy to 99 Other Place of Service, and leaves 8 ranges unassigned (28-30, 35-40, 43-48, 59, 63-64, 67-70, 73-80, 82-98). The newest code, 66 for a PACE center, took effect August 1, 2024.
What is the difference between POS 02 and POS 10?
Both identify a Medicare telehealth service and since 2024 they are the only two place of service codes Medicare accepts on telehealth claims. POS 10 is used when the patient is at home and is paid at the non-facility rate; POS 02 is used when the patient is anywhere else and is paid at the facility rate. Modifier 95 or 93 states whether the service used audio and video or audio only.
Which place of service codes pay the facility rate?
Pub. 100-04 chapter 26 designates 16 codes as facility settings: 02, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 31, 34, 41, 42, 51, 52, 53, 56, 61. A physician fee schedule service billed with one of them is paid at the lower facility practice-expense amount. 30 codes take the non-facility rate, and 6 (05, 06, 07, 08, 18, 66) are not used to adjudicate Medicare claims.
Is the place of service where the patient is or where the practitioner is?
In general it is where the patient receives the face-to-face service, and the address on the claim is the practitioner's service location. Two exceptions override the room: for a registered hospital inpatient the claim reports at least POS 21, and for a registered hospital outpatient at least POS 19 or 22, wherever the encounter took place. Telehealth uses POS 02 or 10 based on where the patient is.
The term itself is defined in the glossary entry on what a place of service code means for billing.
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.
- CMS Place of Service Code Set (professional claims)Version CMS page last modified 2026-02-17; code table updated 2024-05-02 · effective 2024-08-01 · file code-sets.htmlSHA-256 d3a3caf2216784af…
- Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Pub. 100-04, chapter 26: Completing and Processing Form CMS-1500 Data SetVersion Rev. 12779, issued 2024-08-09 · effective 2024-08-09 · file clm104c26.pdfSHA-256 4fae39895fea412a…
- Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Pub. 100-04, chapter 12: Physicians/Nonphysician PractitionersVersion Rev. 13316, issued 2025-07-24 · effective 2025-07-24 · file clm104c12.pdfSHA-256 ca5ded3c8c676a23…
- CMS Place of Service Codes for Professional Claims (printable PDF)Version Place of Service Codes for Professional Claims, updated 2024-05-02 · effective 2024-05-02 · file website-pos-database.pdfSHA-256 cfe3ca7e3b130e5d…
Disclaimer
Code names and definitions are reproduced from the CMS Place of Service code set; Medicare rate designations and instructions are from Pub. 100-04, chapters 12 and 26. Other payers set their own place of service rules. Not 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.