G0494 Medicaid reimbursement rate by state (2026)
Skilled services of a licensed practical nurse. Medicaid pays a median of $46.12 for G0494 across 6 states, from $1.00 in Kansas to $89.08 in Michigan.
- States publishing
- 6
- National median
- $46.12units vary by state
- Lowest
- $1.00Kansas
- Highest
- $89.08Michigan
- Median per hour
- $133.925 time-based states
What does Medicaid pay for G0494?
6 state Medicaid programs publish a fee-for-service rate for G0494. The national median is $46.12 (units differ between states). Michigan pays the most, $89.08 per 15 min, and Kansas the least, $1.00 per 15 min, a 89.1x spread. Converted to an hour of service in the 5 states that bill it by time, the median is $133.92 per hour.
G0494 rate by state: highest, middle and lowest
One like-for-like fee-for-service rate per state, ranked. The workspace lists all 6 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 G0494, 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. 3 of the 6 states list more than one rate for G0494, 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 6 states, 4 publish G0494 per 15 min, 1 per hour and 1 per fifteen minutes.
- Per hour. Time-based units are converted to an hour of service (four 15-minute units make an hour). 5 of the 6 states bill G0494 by time, with a median of $133.92 per hour.
- 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 G0494, 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 G0494 rates differ between states
Published rates for G0494 run from $1.00 in Kansas to $89.08 in Michigan, a 89.1x gap in the same unit. Half the states pay more than the median of $46.12 and half pay less. The usual reasons for a spread like this in home health rates:
- Some states pay home health per visit and others per 15 minutes or per hour, and Medicare pays a different way altogether.
- Rates differ by discipline: skilled nursing, home health aide, physical, occupational and speech therapy.
- Rural adjustments and add-ons for travel or high-acuity patients vary by state.
Timing matters too. None of the states changed its rate for G0494 in 2026, while 2 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 G0494
No managed-care plan publishes what it pays for G0494. What is public is the rule each state's plan contracts set, and that rule decides how much the published rate matters when you contract with a plan.
In 2 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. In 2 states, the service is paid outside the plans or through a state-directed payment. The rule for the remaining 2 states is not classified yet.
- Plans negotiate; the published rate applies out of network (2 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.
- Paid by the state, outside the plans (2 states). Bill the state's Medicaid program, not the plan, at the published rate. There is no plan contract to negotiate for this service.
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 Michigan managed care.
Units and billing for G0494
G0494 is a HCPCS Level II professional services code in the home health line, billed mostly by certified home health agencies. 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.
Prior authorization often sets the number of visits that can be billed. Home health visits are billed per visit or in 15-minute units depending on the state and the code.
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 G0494?
It depends on the state. Of the 6 states with a published fee-for-service rate, the median is $46.12. Michigan pays the most ($89.08 per 15 min) and Kansas the least ($1.00 per 15 min).
Which state pays the highest Medicaid rate for G0494?
Michigan, at $89.08 per 15 min ($356.32 per hour), effective 2023-10-01.
Which state pays the lowest Medicaid rate for G0494?
Kansas, at $1.00 per 15 min ($4.00 per hour), effective 2017-01-01.
What unit is G0494 billed in?
Of the 6 states, 4 publish G0494 per 15 min, 1 per hour and 1 per fifteen minutes. 5 of the 6 states bill it by time, and their rates are also shown per hour.
Do managed-care plans pay the same rate for G0494?
Not necessarily. In 2 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. In 2 states, the service is paid outside the plans or through a state-directed payment. 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.