Physical therapy
G0283 — Electrical stimulation, unattended, for wound care treatment; other than TENS
This HCPCS code covers electrical stimulation delivered to a wound area while you are not being actively supervised by a therapist — the device is set up and left running without direct contact.
- Typical setting: PT clinic, hospital outpatient
- National avg charge (illustrative): $15–$50 per session (unattended modality; lower reimbursement than attended procedures)
- Most-disputed reason: Billing G0283 (unattended) when the therapist was actually present and providing active treatment — attended electrical stimulation is a different service with different billing requirements.
What it means
What G0283 actually means
This HCPCS code covers electrical stimulation delivered to a wound area while you are not being actively supervised by a therapist — the device is set up and left running without direct contact. It is used primarily for wound healing purposes rather than pain management.
Common errors with this code
What goes wrong on real bills.
Most bills that look correct still contain at least one of these issues. Up to 49% of medical bills contain errors (CFPB).
- Billing G0283 (unattended) when the therapist was actually present and providing active treatment — attended electrical stimulation is a different service with different billing requirements.
- Confusing G0283 with 97014 (electrical stimulation, unattended for musculoskeletal conditions) — G0283 is specifically for wound care use; verify the clinical indication on your bill.
- Billing G0283 during the same 15-minute block as a timed therapeutic procedure — unattended modalities run concurrently and are not separately timed; check for overlapping charges.
If you see G0283 on your bill
Three steps before paying.
1. Get the itemized bill. If your statement only shows a summary, request the CPT-level itemized bill before paying. Generate the request language →
2. Cross-check against the EOB. Compare what your insurer's Explanation of Benefits says you owe versus what the hospital is asking. They disagree more often than people think. Read the bill-vs-EOB guide →
3. Run a free Bill Scan. Upload the bill (and EOB if you have it) and BillBusted will flag the most likely issues with this specific code in your specific state. Run free scan →
Related codes
Other codes in this category.
People who land on G0283 often also see these adjacent codes on the same bill.
HCPCS
G0011 — Individual counseling for pre-exposure prophylaxis (prep) by physician or qualified health care professional (qhp) to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (hiv), includes hiv risk assessment (initial or continued assessment of risk), hiv risk reduction and medication adherence, 15-30 minutes
Hiv prep counsel, md 15-30m
HCPCS
G0012 — Injection of pre-exposure prophylaxis (prep) drug for hiv prevention, under skin or into muscle
Injection of hiv prep drug
Related BillBusted guides
Plain-English reads if you see G0283 on a bill.
G0283 FAQ
Plain-English answers.
What does G0283 usually cost?
$15–$50 per session (unattended modality; lower reimbursement than attended procedures). Costs vary by region, payer contract, and whether the service was performed in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a facility fee) versus a free-standing clinic.
What's the most common billing error on G0283?
Billing G0283 (unattended) when the therapist was actually present and providing active treatment — attended electrical stimulation is a different service with different billing requirements.
What should I do if I see G0283 on my bill?
Request the itemized bill and the matching EOB from your insurer. Compare the units/quantity billed against what you actually received. Run a free BillBusted scan to flag the most likely errors specific to G0283 before paying.
Don't pay G0283 blindly.
The free scan tells you in under 60 seconds whether this charge looks reasonable for your situation.