Medical Billing Forum
Coding => Coding => : sgoforth0616 March 15, 2018, 10:05:31 PM
-
Hello! Does anyone billing for mental health know the CPT codes for a video session or phone session? The psychologists uses an app called VSee for video sessions and does do rare phone sessions but I have been billing them under 90837. I have searched for codes but have not came across anything.
-
There is no CPT code for phone session and most insurance carriers do not cover them. 90899 is an unlisted psychotherapy code so you could look at that.
Video sessions, or telehealth, can be billed and depending on the insurance, may be covered. This article by Barbara Griswold has great information:
http://navigatingtheinsurancemaze.com/articles/telehealth/
-
Agree with Michele on this but this needs to be addressed:
but I have been billing them under 90837
Not good.
-
Agree with Michele on this but this needs to be addressed:
but I have been billing them under 90837
Not good.
I totally missed that statement! Linda is right, that is not good. 90837 is a "face to face" code. It should not be used for telephone sessions.
-
Any therapy conducted via telephone is not covered by insurance, unless of course the phone is being used as a platform for video using an app.
90837 is a "timed code" it does not signify that the visit took place in person. It absolutely cannot be used for phone therapy.
When submitting claims to insurance for teletherapy, you would use the appropriate timed code (90832, 90834, 90837), place of service 02 (telehealth) and a GT modifer.
-
Psychbiller is right, it is a timed code, however just to clarify - it cannot be used for phone therapy. Face to face can be telemedicine. The video part makes it face to face. Not in person but still must be able to see each other, not just hear.
-
does anyone know if GT is still required for telemedicine psychotherapy visits? I am hearing we just need POS 2 and no modifier for 2019?
thanks!! :)
-
I am not currently billing any telemedicine however it appears that the GT modifier is not needed.
https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM10152.pdf
-
thank you! :)
-
I bill for telemedicine daily, and still use the GT modifier on all claims. I had too many denials when I removed the modifier, and have not had any claims deny for continuing to use it.
Also, the POS 02 is another grey area. Currently of all the insurance companies that I bill, only 2 of them (Medicare and Amerigroup) will accept telemedicine claims with the POS 02. Other insurances do not recognize it as a POS code at all!!
-
wow! thanks Psychbiller! do you use POS 11?
I came across this article today that states that Beacon Health Options covers telephone sessions in NY?!?!?
https://www.beaconhealthoptions.com/providers/beacon/network/telehealth/
-
Yes, I use POS 11.
In GA they have passed 2 bills relating to telehealth which will go into effect in January 2020
https://mhealthintelligence.com/news/georgia-senate-oks-out-of-state-telemedicine-telehealth-parity
http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20192020/SB/118
....some of these changes have got "billing nightmare" written all over them!!
-
Thanks PsychBiller for sharing. That's great info to know. Telemedicine is definitely going to become more and more the norm in my opinion.