Feeling drained from endless searches for mental health CPT codes? Well, look no further, you’ve reached the right place. This cheat sheet is covered with everything you need on Mental Health CPT codes.
It’s important for mental health professionals and billing staff to know these codes. Patients should also ask about the codes for the services they get to understand billing and insurance better. These codes are important for billing and making sure patients get the right care. This cheat sheet will help you understand some common mental health CPT codes for 2024.
WHAT ARE MENTAL HEALTH CPT CODES?
Mental Health CPT codes are a set of codes used by mental health professionals to report services provided to patients. These services can include diagnostic evaluations, psychotherapy sessions, medication management, and more. Properly using these codes is essential for billing purposes and ensures that patients receive the care they need while allowing professionals to be reimbursed for their services.
TYPES OF CPT CODES FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Mental health services are generally categorized into three main types of CPT codes;
- Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes: These codes are used for mental health evaluations and management visits. The specific code used depends on factors like the length of the visit and the complexity of the patient’s condition.
- Psychotherapy codes: These codes are used to report psychotherapy sessions. The code selected depends on factors such as the length of the session and the type of psychotherapy provided.
- Other psychiatry billing codes: These include codes for services like group therapy, family therapy, and medication management.
LIST OF CPT CODES FOR MENTAL HEALTH
Different types of codes are used by therapists to label mental health services. These codes are divided into four groups to help you easily locate the one needed.
- Psychiatric Diagnostic Interviews: These are discussions between a therapist and a patient to understand mental health issues. Two types are:
- Code 90801: A basic diagnostic interview.
- Code 90802: An interactive diagnostic interview.
- Psychiatric Therapeutic Services: These are therapies aiming to treat mental health issues. There are two sets:
- Codes 90804-90809: These involve various psychotherapy methods.
- Codes 90810-90815: These are interactive psychotherapy sessions.
- Family Medical Psychotherapy: These codes are for therapy sessions involving family members:
- 90846: Family therapy without the patient.
- 90847: Family therapy with the patient.
- 90849: Group therapy involving multiple families.
- Group Psychotherapy: These are therapy sessions involving groups:
- 90853: Group therapy for individuals.
- 90857: Interactive group therapy.
Common CPT codes for mental health billing used in therapy sessions include;
- 90837: 60-minute psychotherapy session.
- 90834: 45-minute psychotherapy session.
- 90791: Initial diagnostic interview without medical services.
- 90847: 50-minute family therapy.
- 90853: Group therapy.
- 90846: 50-minute family therapy without the patient.
- 90875: Individual therapy with biofeedback training.
- 90832: 30-minute psychotherapy session.
- 90838: 60-minute psychotherapy with evaluation and management service.
- 99404: Preventive medicine counseling for 60 minutes.
Psychiatry CPT Codes 2024 for Mental Health Disorders
- Anxiety-related disorders (like generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder) are assessed using code 90801 for the initial assessment and code 90834 for individual therapy lasting 45 minutes.
- Depression, including major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, is evaluated using the same codes as anxiety disorders.
- Bipolar disorder, whether it’s Bipolar I or Bipolar II, follows the same coding pattern as anxiety and depression.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also utilizes the same codes for assessment and therapy.
- Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are handled similarly in terms of coding.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia also fall under the same coding system for assessment and therapy sessions.
In each case, the initial assessment is coded as 90801, and individual therapy sessions lasting 45 minutes are coded as 90834. These codes help streamline billing and ensure proper reimbursement for mental health services provided.
Selecting the Correct CPT Codes for Mental Health Billing
When choosing CPT codes for mental health, there are a few things to keep in mind;
- Service Type: Figure out what kind of mental health service was provided. This could be a talk session, a therapy appointment, or something else.
- Service Duration: Find out how long the service lasted. This helps determine which CPT code to use.
- Service Complexity: Consider how complex the service was. More complicated services usually need higher-level CPT codes.
- Patient’s Age: Remember the age of the patient. There are different CPT codes for kids and adults.
Understanding these points and following the billing tips can help therapists and providers handle mental health billing confidently. It ensures that claims are processed smoothly, and they get paid properly for their work. Keeping up with billing updates and knowing what each payer needs is important for staying compliant and efficient.
QWAY: MENTAL HEALTH BILLING AND CODING SERVICE PARTNER
For efficient mental health billing and coding services, get in touch with us for precise assistance. We keep ourselves informed about the latest CPT codes to ensure you receive maximum reimbursements while reducing denials.
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