Managing behavioral health billing can be complex due to authorization rules, psychotherapy time requirements, telehealth guidelines, and payer-specific policies.
This mental health billing cheat sheet helps therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and behavioral health clinics streamline billing and reduce claim denials.
Most Common Mental Health CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 90791 | Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation |
| 90832 | Psychotherapy 30 Minutes |
| 90834 | Psychotherapy 45 Minutes |
| 90837 | Psychotherapy 60 Minutes |
| 90853 | Group Psychotherapy |
Common ICD-10 Codes
- F32.9 – Major depressive disorder
- F41.1 – Generalized anxiety disorder
- F90.9 – ADHD unspecified
- F43.10 – PTSD unspecified
Common Denial Reasons
- Missing authorization
- Incorrect session duration
- Telehealth modifier errors
- Duplicate claims
Payer-Specific Tips
- UnitedHealthcare often requires behavioral health authorization verification.
- Aetna may request detailed psychotherapy documentation.
- Medicare requires accurate telehealth POS coding.
Internal Resources
FAQs
What is the most commonly used psychiatry CPT code?
90834 and 90837 are among the most commonly billed psychotherapy CPT codes.