Coding > Coding
Coding 1/2 sessions - 90847
Coffeecat21:
How do I code a 1/2 session (25min.) for 90847? There are no time ranges for family therapy w/patient.
PMRNC:
These psychotherapy services are considered face-to-face services with the patient and/or family member, with the patient present for some or all of the service. The specific amount of time associated with these three code titles may well differ from the actual time you provided psychotherapy. In general, you should select the code that most closely matches the actual time you spent. The CPT manual provides for flexibility by identifying time ranges in the descriptions of the three codes, as follows:
90832: 16 to 37 minutes
90834: 38 to 52 minutes
90837: 53 minutes or longer
The psychotherapy codes should not be billed for any sessions lasting less than 16 minutes.
An important insurance-related pointer: As part of adequate documentation of patient encounters in the record, be sure to note start and stop times for every session of psychotherapy you provide. From an insurance company’s standpoint, if you don’t record these details, you didn’t deliver the service.
Coffeecat21:
Linda,
Those codes are for individual therapy session. The 90847 is for family therapy w/patient, but there is no session length associated with it.
Do I use 90847 regardless of the session length, whether 25mins. or 65mins?
rdmoore2003:
coffeecat21, as Linda stated with the codes from 90832-90837- these psychotherapy services are considered face-to-face services with the patient and/or family member, with the patient present for some or all of the service. As far as I know, there is not a short family therapy visit that can be used with 90847/90846.
Coffeecat21:
I have only used those code for individual sessions, but you are right, I can use them with family present as well. Thank you so much. You have solved my problem.
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