MCC code11 min readUpdated October 15, 2026

MCC 8099: Medical Services and Health Practitioners (Not Elsewhere Classified)

MCC 8099 is Visa's code for health practitioners with no specific code: who uses it, 8099 vs 8011, the code for telehealth, FSA cards and processor rules.

Nick Bonnassies, CMO at Tagada · checked against 10 sources

Article summary

TL;DR

MCC 8099 is the merchant category code for medical professionals that no more specific code covers: therapists, psychologists, mental health practitioners, physical therapists, fertility clinics, blood banks, hearing testing and sports medicine clinics. Physicians use 8011, dentists 8021, pharmacies 5912. Visa doesn't list 8099 as high risk, but processors review telehealth first.

Visa defines 8099 as medical professionals not classified with a more specific code. It's the health care catch-all, after 8011 (doctors), 8021 (dentists), 8041 (chiropractors) and the other 80xx codes.
Visa has no telehealth code. A physician consult fits 8011, a therapist or psychologist 8099, dispensed medication 5912.
8099 isn't on Visa's high-integrity-risk list. Card-absent pharmacy sales (5122, 5912) are, so medication needs its own code.
Stripe marks 8099 as a restricted MCC and lists telemedicine as a restricted business. PayPal requires pre-approval for telemedicine services.
In the US, Visa counts 8099 as a Health Care Merchant code, and the IRS card rules tie FSA and HRA cards to health care merchant codes.

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On this page

You found "8099" next to a payment, in a processor's dashboard or on a list of merchant codes. It's the health care catch-all: the code for medical professionals that don't have a code of their own. Here is Visa's exact definition, the 80xx codes to use instead, which code fits a telehealth business, what processors require, and what the code changes for cardholders and merchants.

What MCC 8099 means

MCC 8099 is the four-digit merchant category code for Medical Services and Health Practitioners (Not Elsewhere Classified). Visa's manual defines it in one sentence:1

Merchants classified with this MCC are medical professionals that are not classified with a more specific MCC.

Visa, Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, p. 103

"Not elsewhere classified" is a rule, not a label. Visa says the miscellaneous codes are for merchants that no specific code describes.1 So before 8099, check the specific health codes: doctors (8011), dentists (8021), osteopaths (8031), chiropractors (8041), eye care (8042, 8043), podiatrists (8049), nursing care (8050), hospitals (8062) and labs (8071).

Visa's "Included in this MCC" column lists these activities:1

Mental health practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists
Physical therapists and sports medicine clinics
Fertility clinics
Chemical dependency treatment centers
Blood banks
Hearing testing services
Massage, therapeutic
Hair replacements, surgical
Health practitioners, medical services and medical professionals in general

Stripe lists the code as "Medical Services".3 We couldn't read Mastercard's code booklet at the source, so we don't quote a Mastercard label here.

MCC 8099 isn't SIC 8099. The US Standard Industrial Classification also has an 8099, "Health and Allied Services, Not Elsewhere Classified", which covers blood banks, sperm banks, health screening and hearing testing among others.10 SIC codes classify businesses for statistics and government forms. Card payments use MCCs. The two lists overlap, but they're set by different bodies.

Businesses that use MCC 8099

The code fits health care that isn't delivered by a physician, a dentist or a facility with its own code. These cases match Visa's wording.1

Psychologist, therapist or mental health practice, in person or online8099Visa lists mental health practitioners, psychologists and therapists
Physical therapy or sports medicine clinic8099Both are named in Visa's list
Fertility clinic8099Named in Visa's list
Chemical dependency treatment center8099Named in Visa's list. Counseling alone is 7277
Blood bank or hearing testing service8099Named in Visa's list
Surgical hair replacement clinic8099Non-surgical hair pieces belong to 5698, Wig and Toupee Stores
Physician practice, dermatology, plastic surgery8011Licensed physicians have their own code
Online pharmacy or medication sold to patients5912Pharmacies have their own code, and it's high risk card-absent

Which brands? Visa's manual names none, and we found no primary source that ties a named clinic or app to 8099. Directory lists exist, but each brand's acquirer decides its code.

One business, several codes. Visa lets a merchant with several activities either use the code of its largest activity, or use one MCC per activity. A high-integrity-risk line, like card-absent pharmacy sales, must have its own code, separate from the rest.1

Which MCC for telehealth and online clinics?

Visa's manual has no entry for telehealth, telemedicine or online clinics. The codes describe who provides the care, not the channel. A video consult with a psychologist is still a psychologist.1

Fig. 1One telehealth brand, up to three codes

Your telehealth checkoutVisa has no code named telehealth

Physician consultation8011, Doctors and Physicians
Therapist, psychologist, other practitioner8099, Medical Services and Health Practitioners
Prescription medication5912, Drug Stores and Pharmacies

what you charge for sets the code

Source: Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, pages 75, 102 and 103.

Read Visa's wording against what you sell:

8011 covers "licensed physicians engaged in a practice of general or specialized medicine and surgery". An online clinic where doctors diagnose and prescribe fits here.
8099 covers medical professionals with no specific code, and names mental health practitioners, psychologists and therapists. Online therapy and coaching by licensed therapists fit here.
5912 covers merchants that "sell prescription and proprietary drugs". If the brand charges for the medication, that part is a pharmacy sale.

Psychiatrists appear in both the 8011 and 8099 lists, so an online psychiatry service can sit on either.1 A wellness app with content but no practitioner isn't a medical professional in Visa's sense. Stripe draws the same line: "Education or wellness resources regarding physical and mental health aren't categorized as telemedicine."5 That's our reading of both texts, not a Visa ruling; your acquirer assigns the code. The full setup, from licenses to treatment plans, is in our guide to telehealth payment processing.

Codes it is not: 8099 vs 8011, 8021, 5912 and more

Visa lists ten similar merchants for 8099, all of them other health codes.1 The table adds the pharmacy, wholesale and personal-service codes that health businesses get confused with.

MCC	Visa title	Use it instead of 8099 when
8011	Doctors and Physicians (Not Elsewhere Classified)	Care is given by licensed physicians in general or specialized medicine and surgery
8021	Dentists and Orthodontists	You're a licensed dentist, including dental surgery
8031	Osteopaths	You provide non-surgical manipulation and adjustment of bone structures
8041	Chiropractors	You manipulate or adjust the spinal column and limbs
8042	Optometrists and Ophthalmologists	You examine and treat the eyes as a licensed physician
8043	Opticians, Optical Goods, and Eyeglasses	You make and sell eyeglasses and optical goods
8049	Podiatrists and Chiropodists	You diagnose and treat foot ailments
8050	Nursing, Home Healthcare and Personal Care Facilities	You provide nursing, hospice, elder or home care
8062	Hospitals	You run a hospital with diagnosis, surgery and continuous nursing
8071	Medical and Dental Laboratories	You provide medical or dental lab services
5912	Drug Stores and Pharmacies	You sell prescription and proprietary drugs to patients
5122	Drugs, Drug Proprietaries, and Druggist Sundries	You distribute drugs business-to-business or wholesale
5047	Medical, Dental, Ophthalmic and Hospital Equipment and Supplies	You sell medical equipment business-to-business or wholesale
5975, 5976	Hearing Aids – Sales, Service, and Supply; Orthopedic Goods – Prosthetic Devices	You sell hearing aids, prosthetics or orthopedic goods. Hearing testing alone stays on 8099
7277	Counseling Services – Debt, Marriage, and Personal	You offer family, marriage or alcohol and drug abuse counseling rather than treatment
7297, 7298	Massage Parlors; Health and Beauty Spas	You sell massages or spa treatments as a personal service

Verdict

A physician: 8011. A dentist: 8021. Medication sold to patients: 5912. A therapist, psychologist, physical therapist, fertility clinic or other practitioner with no code of its own: 8099.

Two overlaps to know. Visa puts "Massage – Therapeutic" under 8099 and also describes 7297 as merchants that "specialize in providing therapeutic massage services", so a massage business can land on either; a licensed practice in a medical setting has the stronger case for 8099. And Visa lists 8099 as a similar merchant for ambulance services (4119), which have their own code.1

Is MCC 8099 high risk?

Not for Visa. 8099 isn't on the April 2026 list of high-integrity-risk codes. That list includes card-absent sales on 5122 and 5912, the drug and pharmacy codes.1 Processors, though, put health care and telehealth behind a review.

Who	What they say	Source
Visa, high-integrity-risk list	Not listed. Card-absent 5122 and 5912 are, and must sit on their own MCC	Merchant Data Standards Manual1
Visa, integrity rule	Merchants can't take cards for products that "claim or imply a similar efficacy as prescription drugs", whatever the code	Core Rules 1.9.2.12
Stripe, MCC list	Restricted"Medical Services" carries the restricted badge, like 8011, 8021, 8062 and the other health codes. You must contact Stripe to use it	Set merchant category codes3
Stripe, business rules	RestrictedTelemedicine and telehealth services, online pharmacies, prescription delivery	Stripe business list4
Stripe, by country	ProhibitedTelemedicine for accounts in Mexico, and in the US, medical benefit packages not offered by a government or health insurer	Stripe business list4
PayPal	Pre-approval required for "Telemedicine Services" and for "Prescription Items"	Acceptable Use Policy6
Shopify Payments (US)	Uses the lists of its US processors, Stripe and PayPal	Payment Processor List7

What processors ask. Stripe "reviews each business on a case-by-case basis", typically asks telemedicine businesses for "license numbers" and "information on your processes", and doesn't require LegitScript certification. It approves pharmacies only in the US, Canada, the EU, Australia, the UK and Japan.5

Why the split matters. An online therapy service on 8099 is reviewed as a health service. A brand that also ships prescription drugs adds a pharmacy line, which is high risk for Visa and needs its acquirer to register it, unless the pharmacy is accredited by NABP or another body Visa recognizes.2 Our high-risk MCC codes guide lists the full set.

Visa rules that name 8099

8099 appears by number in four places in Visa's April 2026 rules. None is a risk rule. They treat it as a health care billing code.2

Rule	What it says about 8099	Section
Health Care Merchant (US)	A merchant, other than a pharmacy, whose main business is health care and that uses 8099 or another listed code (4119, 5975, 5976, 7277, 8011 to 8071). It can bill the balance after insurance pays, with a signed order form valid up to one year	Glossary; 5.8.14.1; 7.6.1.1
Payment facilitators	A sponsored merchant on 8099 doesn't need a direct agreement with the acquirer once it passes USD 1 million a year	5.3.1.4
Bill payment services	8099 is on the allowed biller list in every Visa region (Latin America excludes Argentina from its list)	Table 5-35
Business payment solutions	8099 suppliers can't be paid through a business payment solution provider	5.12.2.1

8099 also isn't on Visa's list of codes allowed to charge a "Service Fee" in the US, which is limited to utilities, education and government codes.2 Surcharging is a separate rule; see credit card surcharges.

For cardholders: why a payment shows MCC 8099

Your bank shows the category the merchant's payment processor attached to the payment. "Medical Services" or "Health Practitioners" on a statement usually means one of these.

A therapy, physio or clinic visit on 8099The provider is classified as a health practitioner without a specific codeNothing to do. Keep the receipt if you claim it from insurance or a health account
A monthly charge on 8099An online therapy plan or a recurring treatment you signed up forCheck the plan and how to cancel it online
An unknown name on 8099A clinic billing under a group name, a forgotten plan, or a charge you didn't makeSearch the merchant name. If it's still unknown, call your bank

Rewards and cashback. Each card issuer decides which merchant codes earn points or cashback. Nothing about 8099 guarantees a reward or excludes one. Read your card's rewards terms.

HSA, FSA and HRA cards. In the card setup the IRS approved in Revenue Ruling 2003-43, health FSA and HRA cards "can only be used at merchants and service providers that have merchant category codes related to health care, such as physicians, pharmacies, dentists, vision care offices, hospitals, and other medical care providers". A charge that matches your plan's copayment at such a merchant can be substantiated without a receipt.8 Visa's US rules count 8099 among the health care codes.2 HSA funds pay for qualified medical expenses, meaning "medical care" under section 213(d) of the tax code.9 Whether a given visit qualifies depends on that definition and your plan, not on the code, so keep the itemized receipt.

If the code looks wrong. Your bank can't change a merchant's MCC. The merchant's acquirer sets it. If you don't recognize the charge at all, your bank can explain the next steps, including a chargeback if you never authorized it.

For merchants: check or change your MCC

8099 is right if you're a licensed health professional with no code of your own. If you're a physician, a dentist or a pharmacy, another code fits better. And if you sell care online, your processor will look at more than the code.

Find your code. On Stripe, it's set from the industry you declare, then your website, and each account has one MCC.3 Elsewhere, check your merchant agreement or ask support in writing. Our guide shows where to find your MCC on each provider.
Match it to Visa's wording. Who provides the care? Physicians: 8011. Therapists, psychologists, physical therapists and other practitioners: 8099. Medication: 5912.
Split medication from care. If you charge for prescription drugs, that line needs its own code and usually its own account. Card-absent 5912 is high risk for Visa.
Prepare the review. For telehealth: license numbers, the states or countries each practitioner covers, your intake and consult process, and who is the merchant of record for each charge.
Ask for a correction if needed. Send your provider the current code, the code you think fits, and proof: licenses, service list, revenue by activity. Only the provider or acquirer can change it.
Check every account. Each merchant account has its own MCC, and two processors can classify the same practice differently.

Visa: the code follows the activity with the highest annual sales, or one code per activity. Stripe: one MCC per account, and restricted MCCs need Stripe's approval.

Your code doesn't change your claims

Visa's rule on products that "claim or imply a similar efficacy as prescription drugs" applies on any MCC.2 A health brand on 8099 that sells supplements with drug-like claims breaks it all the same. Processors read your product pages, not only your code.

Most online therapy and treatment plans bill every month. Visa's recurring rules apply on 8099 like anywhere else: terms at sign-up, a reminder before a trial ends, online cancellation. Our guide to subscription payment processing covers them, and chargeback prevention covers the disputes that follow when patients forget a plan.

How Tagada helps

Telehealth plans on more than one processor

Tagada follows Visa and Mastercard rules and the laws that apply to payments. TagadaPay underwrites each file, with enhanced review on regulated verticals, and refuses deceptive marketing of trials, subscriptions and cancellation. For telehealth brands, Tagada runs trials, billing cycles, retries and recovery. Payments route across Stripe, Adyen and TagadaPay with one logic, and cascade on decline. TagadaPay runs native 3DS2, device intelligence and a rules engine.

Updated on October 15, 2026

Nick Bonnassies

CMO at Tagada

CMO at Tagada. Before Tagada, Nick built direct-to-consumer brands that generated over $115M in sales, raised over $25M in crowdfunding and sold two of them. He also works as a fractional CMO on marketing operations and AI systems.

Frequently asked questions

What is MCC 8099?

MCC 8099 is the merchant category code Visa titles Medical Services and Health Practitioners (Not Elsewhere Classified). It covers medical professionals that no more specific code fits, such as psychologists, therapists, mental health practitioners, physical therapists, fertility clinics, blood banks, hearing testing services and sports medicine clinics.

What is the description of the 8099 MCC code?

Visa's description is: merchants classified with this MCC are medical professionals that are not classified with a more specific MCC. Stripe shortens it to Medical Services. Don't confuse it with SIC 8099, a US industry code titled Health and Allied Services, Not Elsewhere Classified, which isn't used on card payments.

What is the difference between MCC 8011 and 8099?

8011 is for licensed physicians practicing general or specialized medicine and surgery, such as dermatologists, pediatricians or surgeons. 8099 is for medical professionals with no specific code: psychologists, therapists, physical therapists, fertility clinics and similar. Visa lists psychiatrists under both, so either can be correct.

What MCC does a telehealth or online therapy business use?

Visa has no telehealth code, so the code follows what you charge for. Consultations with licensed physicians fit 8011. Therapy with psychologists, therapists or other mental health practitioners fits 8099. Prescription medication dispensed to patients is 5912. Your acquirer assigns the code after reviewing your business.

Is MCC 8099 high risk?

Not for Visa: 8099 isn't on its high-integrity-risk list, unlike card-absent pharmacy sales on 5122 and 5912. Processors are stricter. Stripe marks 8099 as a restricted MCC and reviews telemedicine case by case, and PayPal requires pre-approval for telemedicine services and prescription items.

Can I pay an 8099 merchant with an HSA or FSA card?

Often, but your plan decides. The IRS card rules let FSA and HRA cards work at merchants with health care merchant category codes, and Visa counts 8099 as a health care code in the US. Whether a specific expense qualifies depends on the tax rules and your plan, so check with your plan administrator.

Sources

Checked October 15, 2026

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