The most common ICD 10 codes for mental and behavioral health therapists and practitioners are:
The technician and computer CPT codes for psychological and neuropsychological tests include practice expense, malpractice expense and professional work relative value units. Accordingly, CPT psychological test code 96101 should not be paid when billed for the same tests or services performed under psychological test codes 96102 or 96103.
Mental retardation
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are numbers assigned to each task and service a healthcare provider offers. They include medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. Insurers use the numbers to determine how much money to pay a provider.
Individual Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral ICD-10-PCS GZ58ZZZ is a specific/billable code that can be used to indicate a procedure.
Z71. 9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
DSM is ICD–DSM directs therapists to the correct ICD diagnosis codes they need to bill. This brings us back to our critical question, how are CPT and ICD related? The relationship between an ICD code and a CPT code is that the diagnosis supports the medical necessity of the treatment.
90834 – Psychotherapy 45 minutes. 90837 – Psychotherapy 60 minutes. Some health insurance companies may consider 90834 as the standard psychotherapy session.
The CPT codes 90849 and 90853 are used when people with similar issues or conditions are treated in a group.
90834Therapists who conduct a traditional 50-minute therapy session should be aware that these should generally be billed as a 90834, as less than 53 minutes are spent in clinical discussion and therapy.
Mental disorder, not otherwise specified F99 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM F99 became effective on October 1, 2021.
DSM-5DSM-5 Codes — All therapists are familiar with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is the handbook used by health care professionals as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders. The current version is DSM-5.
CPT code 90837 is another one of the most common CPT codes used by mental health professionals along with 90834 and 90791. Its typical use is for a normal psychotherapy session with a client. Insurers will reimburse this code only once per day, and some only as frequently as twice per week.
For 38 to 52 minutes of psychotherapy, you would use the 45-minute code, either 90834 or 90836; and for 53 minutes and beyond, you would use 90837 or 90838, the 60-minute codes.
90847 involves family group therapy whereas 90837 is an individual session. The time frame is also different. 90837 sessions must be at least 53 minutes, and 90847 must be at least 26 minutes.
Code 90785 may be reported with codes for diagnostic evaluation (90791), psychotherapy (90832, 90834, 90837) and group psychotherapy (90853).
The time for each psychotherapy code is described as time spent with the patient and/or family, and although the time for each code is specific (30, 45 or 60 minutes), the coding manual allows for some flexibility.
Pharmacologic management, including prescription and review of medication, when performed with psychotherapy services (List separately in addition to the code for primary procedure)
Add-on codes identify an additional part of the treatment above and beyond the principal service. Both the principal service code and add-on code should be listed on the billing form.
Add-on code 90785 for Interactive complexity refers to factors that complicate the delivery of a mental health procedure.
It is billed for the first 60 minutes of psychotherapy for a patient in crisis. If/when the crisis psychotherapy session lasts longer than 60 minutes, the add-on code, 90840, can be billed for each additional 30 minutes of psychotherapy for crisis.
There are Psychotherapy services that can be provided via telehealth. See additional information.
ICD-10 diagnosis codes for mental health cover a range of “F-codes” between: F10.50 to F99.
ICD-9 was updated to ICD-10 coding on October 1st, 2015. Coding changed from the use of ICD-9 diagnoses to ICD-10 diagnoses to match the recent DSM5 update in 2013, enumerating many more diagnoses.
Z-Codes are diagnosis codes related to factors influencing the health status of an individual or conditions relating to that individual warranting clinical attention. For mental health providers, Z-code diagnoses are often best rendered alongside a F-Code diagnoses. ( Source) ( Source)
It is defined as Treatment of an individual with a mental health disorder by behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, psychodynamic or psychophysiological means to improve functioning or well-being.
Monitoring and alteration of physiological processes to help the individual associate physiological reactions combined with cognitive and behavioral strategies to gain improved control of these processes to help the individual cope more effectively
Neolytix has compiled this psychotherapy medical billing 101-guide to help mental health practices everywhere get up to speed with the new rules.
There are many CPT codes currently used by mental health professional that can be reported under the following categories:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines psychotherapy as:
Each CPT code describes a specific medical, diagnostic, or surgical procedure or service. These codes were created by the AMA to reflect the service rendered by the provider. In choosing a CPT code, the medical coder must select the code that best reflects the service rendered by the healthcare professional.
It is common for multiple healthcare professionals to work together in providing care for patients. When a non-physician provider furnishes services to a physician professional, incident-to guidelines are used for billing under the provider’s NPI.
Modifiers are used to show that a medical service or procedure has been altered by some specific circumstance but has not been changed in its definition or code.
Documentation plays the essential role of explaining the medical necessity of procedures rendered by the provider. All documentation must comply with legal/regulatory requirements of the state in which the provider practices.
A psychiatric diagnostic evaluation is an integrated biopsychosocial assessment, including client history, mental status, and treatment recommendations. It may include communication with family or other sources and review, and ordering of diagnostic studies.
Used for face-to-face or telehealth couples and family psychotherapy sessions of 26 minutes or longer.
Add-on codes are CPT Codes that are listed separately for services that are performed in conjunction with a Primary Service. Add-on codes are only eligible for payment if it accompanies the appropriate Primary Service. If the Primary Service is denied for whatever reason, the add-on code will also be denied.
The world of medicine and behavioral health is always changing and, as a result, CPT codes are updated yearly to maintain accuracy. That doesn’t mean the ones you normally use are different than before—they probably aren’t—but you need to be aware of any possible changes so you can remain precise.
The primary reason for psychotherapy CPT codes is so insurance companies know what they need to reimburse practitioners for services. So, if you want to be paid what you deserve, you need to ensure you are using the proper codes. Additionally, insurance companies do not like to pay for anything more than they have to.
This may be the most used code in mental health. 90832 CPT Code-30 minute psychotherapy session (16 to 37 minutes) The 30 minute session is rarer but has occurred with increasing frequency in the telemedicine age. Note that you can see someone for only 16 minutes and still use this code.
What are CPT Codes? In 1966, the American Medical Association created CPT codes to help standardize billing across different disciplines and work environments.
If they suspect you are using codes incorrectly, your services may be subject to an audit. If you depend on insurance for your paycheck you will need to learn the relevant CPT codes. The Most Popular Psychotherapy CPT Codes for Mental Health. The following are the CPT codes most often used by behavioral health practitioners:
The AMA has addressed the use of telemedicine by using modifiers rather than introducing entirely new codes. In behavioral health, the modifier 95 is added to the original code to signify teletherapy.
CPT Codes for Psychology Services. Current Procedural Terminology (CPT codes) are used by psychologists and other mental health professionals in order to bill their services to an insurance company or Medicaid. This is not a complete list, but simply a list of some of the most commonly used CPT codes in mental health and psychology services, ...
Most traditional face-to-face, individual psychotherapy sessions should be billed only for 45 minutes (90834). Get to know this code, it is your friend. Most mental health clinicians and therapists should use code 90791 for billing for an intake interview and 90847 for family therapy.
A “facility” in the text below refers only to a hospital, surgical center, or skilled nursing facility. If you’re not providing services in one of those kinds of locations, you should use the “non-facility” coding. Most psychologists and therapists should use the “non-facility” coding, unless they are working in a hospital or related facility.
The individual clinician is always responsible for ensuring they are using the most accurate and appropriate CPT billing code when billing for services provided, regardless of who does the actual billing on the clinician’s behalf.