G25.81: Restless legs syndrome
G25.81, restless legs syndrome, is listed as a covered diagnosis in 3 Medicare billing and coding articles that apply to 18 HCPCS Level II codes, including G0152 (Services performed by a qualified occupational therapist…), G0155 (Services of clinical social worker in home health or…), G0156 (Services of home health/hospice aide in home health or…). The articles come from 2 Medicare contractors. A listed diagnosis supports medical necessity only; coverage still depends on the LCD's criteria and on documentation in the medical record.
HCPCS Level II codes with G25.81 as a covered diagnosis
| Code | Description | Medicare coverage | DMEPOS fee 2026 (state range) | Articles listing it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G0152 | Services performed by a qualified occupational therapist in the home health or hospice setting, each 15 minutes | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0155 | Services of clinical social worker in home health or hospice settings, each 15 minutes | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0156 | Services of home health/hospice aide in home health or hospice settings, each 15 minutes | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0299 | Direct skilled nursing services of a registered nurse (rn) in the home health or hospice setting, each 15 minutes | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0300 | Direct skilled nursing services of a licensed practical nurse (lpn) in the home health or hospice setting, each 15 minutes | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0451 | Development testing, with interpretation and report, per standardized instrument form | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0017 | Psychotherapy for crisis furnished in an applicable site of service (any place of service at which the non-facility rate for psychotherapy for crisis services applies, other than the office setting); first 60 minutes | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0018 | Psychotherapy for crisis furnished in an applicable site of service (any place of service at which the non-facility rate for psychotherapy for crisis services applies, other than the office setting); each additional 30 minutes (list separately in addition to code for primary service) | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G0560 | Safety planning interventions, each 20 minutes personally performed by the billing practitioner, including assisting the patient in the identification of the following personalized elements of a safety plan: recognizing warning signs of an impending suicidal or substance use-related crisis; employing internal coping strategies; utilizing social contacts and social settings as a means of distraction from suicidal thoughts or risky substance use; utilizing family members, significant others, caregivers, and/or friends to help resolve the crisis; contacting mental health or substance use disorder professionals or agencies; and making the environment safe | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2187 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: head trauma | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2188 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: new or change in headache above 50 years of age | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2189 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: abnormal neurologic exam | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2190 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: headache radiating to the neck | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2191 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: positional headaches | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2192 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: temporal headaches in patients over 55 years of age | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2193 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: new onset headache in pre-school children or younger (<6 years of age) | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2194 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: new onset headache in pediatric patients with disabilities for which headache is a concern as inferred from behavior | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
| G2195 | Patients with clinical indications for imaging of the head: occipital headache in children | Carrier judgment | — | 1 |
Medicare policy articles listing G25.81
- A56756: Billing and Coding: Home Health - Psychiatric Care (Palmetto GBA (HHH MAC); 5 Level II codes). LCD with the same title: L34561
- A57130: Billing and Coding: Psychiatric Codes (Novitas Solutions, Inc. (MAC - Part A, MAC - Part B); 4 Level II codes). LCD with the same title: L35101
- A56612: Billing and Coding: CT of the Head (Palmetto GBA (MAC - Part A, MAC - Part B); 9 Level II codes). LCD with the same title: L34417
A diagnosis listed as covered in a billing and coding article supports medical necessity for the article's codes; it does not guarantee payment. Coverage depends on the LCD's criteria, the contractor's jurisdiction and documentation in the medical record.
Other G25 diagnoses (Other extrapyramidal and movement disorders)
- G25.82 — Stiff-man syndrome
- G25.89 — Other specified extrapyramidal and movement disorders
- G25.0 — Essential tremor
- G25.1 — Drug-induced tremor
- G25.2 — Other specified forms of tremor
- G25.3 — Myoclonus
- G25.61 — Drug induced tics
- G25.69 — Other tics of organic origin
- G25.70 — Drug induced movement disorder, unspecified
- G25.71 — Drug induced akathisia
- G25.79 — Other drug induced movement disorders
- G25.9 — Extrapyramidal and movement disorder, unspecified
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover G25.81 (Restless legs syndrome)?
Medicare covers items and services, not diagnoses. 3 Medicare billing and coding articles list G25.81 as a covered diagnosis for 18 HCPCS Level II codes: the diagnosis can support medical necessity for those codes, but payment still depends on the LCD's coverage criteria and the medical record.
Which HCPCS codes can be billed with ICD-10 G25.81?
The Level II codes from the policies most specific to this diagnosis are G0152 (Services performed by a qualified occupational therapist…, 1 article); G0155 (Services of clinical social worker in home health or…, 1 article); G0156 (Services of home health/hospice aide in home health or…, 1 article); G0299 (Direct skilled nursing services of a registered nurse (rn)…, 1 article); G0300 (Direct skilled nursing services of a licensed practical…, 1 article). Code choice depends on the item supplied; check each code's descriptor.
Which Medicare policy articles list G25.81?
A56756 (Billing and Coding: Home Health - Psychiatric Care); A57130 (Billing and Coding: Psychiatric Codes); A56612 (Billing and Coding: CT of the Head).
What is ICD-10-CM code G25.81?
G25.81 is the ICD-10-CM code for restless legs syndrome, in category G25 (Other extrapyramidal and movement disorders), chapter 6: Diseases of the nervous system.
Next steps
- Run a reimbursement report for a device billed under G0152
- Watch G0152 for fee, coverage and descriptor changes
- Build a full Medicare revenue model for G0152
Sources: CMS Medicare Coverage Database billing and coding articles (covered ICD-10 code lists and HCPCS links); ICD-10-CM FY2026; CMS HCPCS Level II release October 2026; CMS DMEPOS fee schedule 2026 (non-rural state fees). Not billing or legal advice.
Chapter 6: Diseases of the nervous system · All diagnoses · HCPCS lookup