Place of Service Code Lookup
Every current CMS Place of Service (POS) code — office, telehealth, ER, inpatient, and more — with official descriptions. Search by setting (telehealth) or code (11) to find the right one.
The right setting on every claim.
The place of service drives whether a line pays at the facility or non-facility rate — and the wrong one is an easy denial. Medmio's mobile charge capture records where care was delivered and carries it onto the claim alongside the ICD-10, CPT & HCPCS codes CodeSightTM suggests from the note.
How place of service codes work
A Place of Service (POS) code is a two-digit code on a professional claim (CMS-1500 / 837P) that tells the payer where a service was furnished. It is separate from the procedure code — the CPT/HCPCS says what was done, the POS says where.
It matters because payment often depends on the setting. Under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, most services have two payment amounts — a facility rate (when the site, like a hospital, carries its own overhead) and a higher non-facility rate (for settings like an office, where the practice bears the overhead). The POS code is what tells the payer which to apply, so a mismatch between the POS and where care actually happened can trigger an incorrect payment or a denial.
10 when the patient is in their home, and 02 when the patient is somewhere else. Pick based on the patient's location during the visit — and check current payer telehealth policy, which has shifted over the past few years.
Common place of service codes
The settings practices report most. Search the tool above for all current codes.
| POS | Setting | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Office | Care in a physician's office or other non-facility office location |
| 10 | Telehealth Provided in Patient's Home | Telehealth where the patient is in their home |
| 02 | Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient's Home | Telehealth where the patient is at another location |
| 12 | Home | Care delivered in the patient's home (in person) |
| 21 | Inpatient Hospital | Admitted hospital inpatient services |
| 22 | On Campus-Outpatient Hospital | Hospital outpatient department on the main campus |
| 23 | Emergency Room - Hospital | Hospital-based emergency department |
| 24 | Ambulatory Surgical Center | Procedures in a freestanding ASC |
| 31 | Skilled Nursing Facility | Inpatient skilled nursing care |
| 81 | Independent Laboratory | Lab testing in an independent laboratory |
Frequently Asked Questions
A Place of Service code is a two-digit code reported on a professional (CMS-1500 / 837P) claim that tells the payer the setting where a service was furnished — for example 11 for an office, 21 for an inpatient hospital, or 23 for a hospital emergency room. POS codes are maintained by CMS and used by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private payers.
Many services are paid at a different rate depending on the setting. Under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, services have a facility and a non-facility payment amount, and the POS code is what tells the payer which applies. Reporting the wrong POS can cause an incorrect payment or a denial, so it must match where care was actually delivered.
POS 11 (Office) is used for services furnished in a physician's office or other non-facility office location that is not a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or other designated setting.
There are two: POS 10 (Telehealth Provided in Patient's Home) when the patient is in their home, and POS 02 (Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient's Home) when the patient is at another location. Choose based on where the patient is located during the visit, and confirm current payer telehealth policy, which has changed over time.
POS 23 (Emergency Room - Hospital) is used for services furnished in a hospital-based emergency department. Inpatient hospital services use POS 21, and hospital outpatient services use POS 22 (on campus) or 19 (off campus).
CMS maintains the Place of Service code set. It changes only occasionally — codes are added or revised as care settings evolve (for example, the telehealth split into POS 02 and 10, and the addition of POS 27 for outreach site / street). Always confirm a code against the current CMS set and the date of service.
Yes. The tool runs entirely in your browser. The code set is downloaded once and all searching happens on your own device — nothing you type is uploaded, stored, or sent to any server.