G0252 Pet imaging initial dxPet imaging, full and partial-ring pet scanners only, for initial diagnosis of breast cancer and/or surgical planning for breast cancer (e.g., initial staging of axillary lymph nodes)
Status N: non-covered service.
30 of 43 payer prior-auth lists that name G0252 require prior authorization or set conditions: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Cigna, Humana, Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Molina Healthcare of Nevada, Oxford Health Plans, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, UnitedHealthcare, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan.
| Payer | Plan | State | Prior auth | Conditions | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | AZ Blue-administered Medicare Advantage (M2K) | AZ | prior auth required | Sep 1, 2026 | AZ Blue Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (Effective 09/01/2026) | |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | Standard PA code list (most commercial plans) | AZ | prior auth required | Other groups: AZ Blue; Gold-card eligible | Sep 1, 2026 | AZ Blue Standard Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (09/01/2026) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | Standard PA code list (most commercial plans) | AZ | prior auth required | eviCore-delegated groups; Gold-card eligible | Sep 1, 2026 | AZ Blue Standard Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (09/01/2026) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | State of Arizona employee group (SYD, S3Z) | AZ | prior auth required | Gold-card eligible | Sep 1, 2026 | State of Arizona Group Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (09/01/2026) |
| Cigna | ACA/IFP | All | prior auth required | May be delegated to eviCore for some clients | Oct 1, 2002 | Master Precertification List (For Health Care Providers) |
| Cigna | Complete/PHS+/Preferred | All | prior auth required | May be delegated to eviCore for some clients | Oct 1, 2002 | Master Precertification List (For Health Care Providers) |
| Cigna | Radiology | All | prior auth required | Mar 7, 2026 | Cigna Commercial Prior Authorization Procedure Code List: Radiology | |
| Cigna | Radiology | All | prior auth required | Mar 7, 2026 | Cigna Commercial Comprehensive CPT Code Reference for Prior Authorization Across All Programs | |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | Blue Cross Community Health Plans (BCCHP), Illinois Medicaid | IL | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2026 | Illinois Medicaid Prior Authorization Code List, Effective 10/1/2026 | |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | Blue Cross Community MMAI (Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative) | IL | prior auth required | eviCore-managed | Jan 1, 2025 | Procedure Code List, Effective 1/1/2025 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico | Turquoise Care (New Mexico Medicaid) | NM | prior auth required | Carelon-managed | Jan 1, 2021 | New Mexico Medicaid Benefit Preauthorization Procedure Code List 10/1/26 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas | Texas PA exemption (gold card), outpatient, fully insured | TX | prior auth required | Gold-card exemption available | Jul 1, 2026 | BCBSTX Outpatient Prior Authorization Exemption Clinical Guidelines (max units, PA exempt date range) |
| Humana | Humana Puerto Rico MA and Dual Medicare-Medicaid | PR | prior auth required | Nov 3, 2025 | Puerto Rico Medicare Advantage and Dual Medicare-Medicaid Plans Preauthorization and Notification List Puerto Rico Medicare Advantage and Dual Medicare-Medicaid Plan Preauthorization and Notification | |
| Molina Healthcare of California | Medicare Advantage | CA | prior auth required | Jul 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (California), effective Q3 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Michigan | Exchange | MI | prior auth required | Contact eviCore for PA | Jul 1, 2021 | Molina Healthcare of Michigan PA Matrix, effective 7/1/2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Michigan | Medicare Advantage | MI | prior auth required | Jul 1, 2026 | Molina Healthcare of Michigan PA Matrix 2026-Q3 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Nevada | Medicaid | NV | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2022 | Medicaid Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix, effective Q4 2022 | |
| Oxford Health Plans | Oxford Health Plans | All | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior Authorization Requirements for Oxford Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | Rocky Mountain Health Plans CHP+ | CO | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Plan - prior authorization Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | Rocky Mountain Health Plans Prime / RAE | CO | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Rocky Mountain Health Plans PRIME Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | UnitedHealthcare Complete (Individual & Family plans) | All | prior auth required | Sep 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Complete Effective September 1, 2026 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange plans | All | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange plans Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | UnitedHealthcare Mid-Atlantic Health Plans | All | prior auth under conditions | Marked * in the list; the footnote is not printed; Prior authorization required for services, including: CT scans — brain, chest, musculoskeletal, colonography MRI scans — brain, heart, chest, musculo | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Mid-Atlantic Health Plans Effective October 1, 2026 |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana) | LA | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Louisiana | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | North Carolina Medicaid | NC | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina Effective October 1, 2026 July 1, 2024 | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | TennCare | TN | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2026 | Prior authorization requirements for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee Effective October 1, 2026 | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas CHIP | TX | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2015 | Prior authorization requirements for Texas CHIP Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Texas CHIP health care | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas STAR | TX | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2015 | Prior authorization requirements for Texas STAR Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization review requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas STAR h | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas STAR Kids | TX | prior auth required | Nov 1, 2016 | Prior authorization requirements for STAR Kids Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization review requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas STAR Ki | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community Plan | Texas STAR+PLUS | TX | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2015 | Prior authorization requirements for STAR+Plus Effective September 1, 2026 This list contains prior authorization requirements for participating UnitedHealthcare Community Plan STAR+PLUS health care p |
G0252 appears in 4 coverage policies from Aetna, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, UnitedHealthcare.
| Payer | Policy | Role in policy | Reviewed | Document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | Lyme Disease and other Tick-Borne Diseases (0215) | not covered | Jul 21, 2026 | payer document |
| Aetna | Positron Emission Tomography (PET) (0071) | not covered | Sep 14, 2026 | payer document |
| Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi | Oncologic Applications Of Positron Emission Tomography Pet Scanning | not covered | payer document | |
| UnitedHealthcare | Outpatient Radiology Procedures for EviCore Arrangement (for Oxford Only) (RADIOLOGY) Dates of Service | listed, no stance | Sep 1, 2026 | payer document |
Prior authorization required or conditional in CO, IN.
From payers' published prior-auth lists, coverage policies and state Medicaid fee schedules, updated Oct 16, 2026. The role is what the policy's own code table or text says about the code. Not a guarantee of coverage or payment; verify with the payer. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.