CPT 97804 (group MNT)
97804 is the group MNT code: two or more individuals in the same session, reported in 30-minute units rather than the 15-minute units of 97802 and 97803.
Medicare's instructions say 97804 is used for group visits, both initial and subsequent, and also when a change in condition affects nutritional status and the patient attends in a group (CMS Claims Processing Manual, Ch. 4, §300.4). Medicare pays only for sessions the beneficiary actually attended and that are documented. For additional hours after a second referral, Medicare uses G0271 (group) instead.
Practical points for groups:
- Each attending patient has their own claim and their own documentation of attendance and time.
- A patient's group time counts against the same annual Medicare MNT hours as individual visits.
- Commercial coverage for group MNT varies more than for individual visits; confirm the member's plan covers 97804 before you enroll someone in a paid series.
If you run classes that are general wellness education rather than MNT for a covered condition, check whether the payer expects a different code or no claim at all.