G0186 Medicaid reimbursement rate by state (2026)
Destruction of localized lesion of choroid (for example. Medicaid pays a median of $430.39 for G0186 across 11 states, from $39.38 in New Mexico to $1,030.88 in Arizona.
- States publishing
- 11
- National median
- $430.39units vary by state
- Lowest
- $39.38New Mexico
- Highest
- $1,030.88Arizona
What does Medicaid pay for G0186?
11 state Medicaid programs publish a fee-for-service rate for G0186. The national median is $430.39 (units differ between states). Arizona pays the most, $1,030.88, and New Mexico the least, $39.38, a 26.2x spread.
G0186 rate by state: highest, middle and lowest
One like-for-like fee-for-service rate per state, ranked. The workspace lists all 11 states with every variant, modifier and effective date.
How to read this table
- Order. States are listed from the highest published rate to the lowest. No single unit is shared by 8 or more states for G0186, so the order is by published amount and is not a like-for-like rank.
- Medicaid rate. The most the state's fee-for-service program pays for one unit, as published. 6 of the 11 states list more than one rate for G0186, by modifier, provider type or setting; the table shows the one that matches the provider level and setting used across states, without add-ons.
- Unit. Of the 11 states, 1 publish G0186 per percent of billed charges, and 10 schedules print no unit at all (a flat amount per service).
- Per hour. G0186 is not billed in time units in these states, so no hourly figure is shown.
- Managed-care plans. The rule the state sets for its plans on this rate. What each rule means is explained below.
- % of Medicare. No Medicare physician fee schedule amount is on file for G0186, so there is no percentage.
- Source and date. Each Source link opens the state's own document; “since” is the date the rate took effect.
Why G0186 rates differ between states
Published rates for G0186 run from $39.38 in New Mexico to $1,030.88 in Arizona, a 26.2x gap in the same unit. Half the states pay more than the median of $430.39 and half pay less. The usual reasons for a spread like this in physician & professional rates:
- Many schedules pay differently by place of service (office versus facility) and by practitioner, and nurse practitioners and physician assistants are often paid a percentage of the physician amount.
- Some states pay physician services as a percentage of the Medicare fee schedule; others keep a schedule of their own that may not have been rebased for years.
- Primary-care and pediatric add-ons, enhanced rates for certain specialties and targeted increases for access problems change individual codes without moving the rest of the schedule.
Timing matters too. 5 states set the current rate for G0186 in 2026 or later, while 4 states still pay a rate that took effect in 2022 or earlier. A state that has not updated its rate in years will drift down the ranking as others raise theirs.
What managed-care plans pay for G0186
Most Medicaid members are in managed-care plans, and plans don't publish their provider fee schedules. For G0186, the public signal is the rule each state sets for its plans, recorded on each rate above.
In 3 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 6 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 2 states is not classified yet.
- Plans negotiate; the published rate applies out of network (6 states). In-network rates can be above or below the published rate. The published rate is the benchmark both sides know, and the fallback if no contract is signed.
- Plans must pay at least the published rate (3 states). The published rate is your floor. Negotiate up from it, and if a plan pays less, the contract provision is the basis for a payment dispute.
Plan-negotiated rates are never estimated here. To see the rule and its citation for a particular state, open that state's managed-care page, for example Arizona managed care.
Units and billing for G0186
G0186 is a HCPCS Level II professional services code in the physician & professional line, billed mostly by physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other licensed practitioners. G codes describe professional services and procedures that have no CPT code, or that payers define more narrowly. Many are timed, so check the unit before comparing.
Where a state publishes separate facility and non-facility amounts, the non-facility (office) amount is usually higher because the practice carries the overhead. Practitioners who are not physicians are often paid a reduced percentage of the published amount, so check the schedule for the reduction that applies to your provider type.
Before billing, confirm the rate, unit and any modifier with the state's current schedule or the plan: the amounts here are as published, not a guarantee of payment.
Frequently asked questions
What does Medicaid pay for G0186?
It depends on the state. Of the 11 states with a published fee-for-service rate, the median is $430.39. Arizona pays the most ($1,030.88) and New Mexico the least ($39.38).
Which state pays the highest Medicaid rate for G0186?
Arizona, at $1,030.88, effective 2021-10-01.
Which state pays the lowest Medicaid rate for G0186?
New Mexico, at $39.38, effective 2025-01-01.
What unit is G0186 billed in?
Of the 11 states, 1 publish G0186 per percent of billed charges, and 10 schedules print no unit at all (a flat amount per service).
Do managed-care plans pay the same rate for G0186?
Not necessarily. In 3 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 6 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 2 states is not classified yet. Each rule is cited to the plan contract, statute or notice in the workspace.