What you need to know about billing for telehealth
Here's how to bill for telehealth appointments, which CPT codes to use, and more.
Feel confident about coding with accessible references.
Here's how to bill for telehealth appointments, which CPT codes to use, and more.
A client on the autism spectrum will most commonly be diagnosed with a specifier code that provides detail about how their symptoms present.
CPT codes can seem complex at first, but they simplify the process of coding and billing.
Code 90838 represents an add-on for at least 53 minutes of psychotherapy with an E/M code.
Code 90836 represents an add-on for 38-52 minutes of psychotherapy with an E/M code.
Code 90833 represents an add-on for 16 to 37 minutes of psychotherapy with an E/M code.
Code 99215 represents an existing patient appointment that’s at least 40 minutes in duration.
Code 99214 represents an existing patient appointment that’s at least 30 minutes in duration.
Code 99213 represents an existing patient appointment that’s at least 20 minutes in duration.
Code 99212 represents an existing patient appointment that’s at least 10 minutes in duration.
Code 99205 represents a new patient appointment that’s at least 60 minutes in duration.
Within behavioral health, billing and documentation for E/M codes can sometimes be confusing.
Code 99204 represents a new patient appointment that’s at least 45 minutes in duration.
Code 99203 represents a new patient appointment that’s at least 30 minutes in duration.
CPT code 99202 represents a new patient appointment that’s at least 15 minutes in duration.
With the right tools and resources, billing can become second nature.
Understand the ins and outs of CPT codes to help make documentation and billing more efficient — and give you more time to focus on other areas of your practice.
Here’s how to properly document and bill group therapy sessions.
CPT codes 90839 and 90840 both reflect treatment for a crisis, but represent different time frames.
Understand the ins and outs of CPT codes to help make documentation and billing more efficient — and give you more time to focus on other areas of your practice.
The two most important coding systems in medical billing are CPT codes and ICD-10 codes. Both have their own distinct purpose, and you’ll need to understand each of them if you’re working with insurance.
CPT code 90785 is an add-on code used to reflect communication difficulties during a psychiatric procedure, such as a psychotherapy session.
The ICD-10 includes one general code for PTSD, along with specifier codes that include a greater level of detail.
There are many ICD-10 codes associated with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is most common, but there may be a more precise code that documents your diagnosis more effectively.
Here are some of the most common ICD-10 codes associated with depressive symptoms, with different criteria for frequency, severity, and other features.
A client presenting the symptoms of ADHD will most commonly be diagnosed with a specifier code that provides detail about how their symptoms present.
Z codes are an important tool for identifying the social needs of a patient population. Here’s how to leverage them effectively and compliantly.
Code 90847 represents a session where the identified patient actively participates, giving the provider important visibility into the ways family interactions can contribute to or alleviate a patient’s condition.
Family therapy can be a covered benefit for many care-seeking couples and households, but you should understand how to leverage code 90846 effectively for clinically-focused sessions.
If your client demonstrates a clinical need for shorter therapy sessions — or you need to end a session earlier than planned — 90832 might be the right way to bill.
The “45 minute” session is a core element of mental health care, so it’s vital that every provider knows how to apply the 90834 code to their work.
The 90837 CPT code is often understood to be the standard of a therapy session among providers. However, insurers have a tendency to flag 90837 more frequently than other codes.
Because 90792 can only be billed by psychiatrists and nurse practitioners, it’s a less commonly used code for intake assessments, but has many of the same expectations.
Code 90791 is officially deemed a “diagnostic evaluation,” but you might know it better as an initial assessment. It typically happens in your first session with a client.