New CPT Codes for Mental Health Services

For those who do their own billing: make sure you've updated your CPT codes to reflect the changes that became effective 1/1/13.

CPT stands for "Current Procedural Terminology." The American Medical Association establishes a code (a number) for each service or procedure a medical provider may perform, including mental health services. From time to time, things are added and removed from the list, and procedures are reorganized based on current practice.

The codes for psychotherapy services have been changed starting this year. The biggest change is that, instead of separate codes for each duration of standard and "interactive" psychotherapy, "interactive complexity" has been added as a separate code to be billed in addition to the standard psychotherapy code when applicable. Therapy is considered "interactive" when it is conducted with non-verbal clients.

Here are the update CPT codes applicable to psychotherapy:

90791     Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation (by non-prescribing professionals)
90837     Psychotherapy, 60 minutes (client or family member)
90834     Psychotherapy, 45 minutes (client or family member)
90832     Psychotherapy, 30 minutes (client or family member)
90839     Psychotherapy for Crisis, first 60 minutes
90840     Psychotherapy for Crisis, each additional 30 minutes
90846     Family Psychotherapy (without client)
90847     Family Psychotherapy (with client)
90853     Group Therapy
90785     Interactive Complexity