How To Use CPT Code 92508

CPT 92508 refers to the treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder for a group of two or more individuals. This article will cover the description, procedure, qualifying circumstances, usage, documentation requirements, billing guidelines, historical information, similar codes, and examples of CPT 92508 procedures.

1. What is CPT 92508?

CPT 92508 is a medical billing code used to describe the treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder for a group of two or more individuals. This code is used by medical professionals to bill for services provided to patients with communication and hearing difficulties, who require group therapy sessions to improve their speech and language skills.

2. 92508 CPT code description

The official description of CPT code 92508 is: “Treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder; group, 2 or more individuals.”

3. Procedure

1. Assessment of patients’ speech, language, voice, communication, and auditory processing abilities.
2. Identification of specific areas of difficulty and development of a treatment plan.
3. Conducting group therapy sessions to address identified issues.
4. Utilization of various therapeutic techniques, such as articulation therapy, language therapy, and oral strength and control exercises.
5. Monitoring and recording patients’ progress throughout the treatment process.
6. Adjusting the treatment plan as needed based on patients’ progress and needs.
7. Providing guidance and support for patients to practice and implement learned skills in their daily lives.

4. Qualifying circumstances

Patients eligible to receive CPT code 92508 services are those who have been diagnosed with a speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder and require group therapy sessions to address their difficulties. These patients may have impairments in their ability to make sounds, significant receptive and expressive deficits, or issues with processing auditory information. The group therapy setting allows for patients to learn from and support one another while receiving treatment from a qualified provider.

5. When to use CPT code 92508

It is appropriate to bill the 92508 CPT code when a provider is treating a group of two or more individuals with communication and hearing difficulties through direct interaction. The provider should assess the patients’ abilities, develop a treatment plan, and conduct group therapy sessions using various therapeutic techniques to address the identified issues. The 92508 CPT code should be used for billing purposes when these services are provided to the group of patients.

6. Documentation requirements

To support a claim for CPT 92508, the following information should be documented:

• Patient demographics and diagnosis of a speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder.
• A comprehensive assessment of the patient’s abilities and specific areas of difficulty.
• A detailed treatment plan outlining the goals, objectives, and therapeutic techniques to be used during group therapy sessions.
• Progress notes for each group therapy session, including the date, duration, therapeutic techniques used, and patient progress.
• Any adjustments made to the treatment plan based on the patient’s progress and needs.
• Documentation of the patient’s progress towards treatment goals and objectives.

7. Billing guidelines

When billing for CPT code 92508, it is important to follow the appropriate guidelines and rules. Some key points to consider include:

• Do not report diagnostic or treatment procedures separately if they are included as part of the evaluation and management services.
• Use code 92507 for individual treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder.
• Do not bill multiple units on the same day, as 92508 is not a time-based code.
• Follow local Medicare carrier guidelines for speech therapy services, as they may require that ongoing services be provided by a speech-language pathologist (SLP).
• Do not report 92508 in conjunction with 97154, 97158, 92630, or 92633.

8. Historical information

CPT 92508 was added to the Current Procedural Terminology system on January 1, 1990. The code was changed on January 1, 2006, with the previous descriptor being “Treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder (includes aural rehabilitation); group, two or more individuals.”

9. Similar codes to CPT 92508

Five similar codes to CPT 92508 and how they differentiate are:

• CPT 92507: This code is used for individual treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder, rather than group therapy.
• CPT 97154: This code refers to group adaptive behavior treatment, which focuses on improving adaptive skills rather than speech and language abilities.
• CPT 97158: This code is used for group cognitive function treatment, which addresses cognitive impairments rather than speech and language disorders.
• CPT 92630: This code is for auditory rehabilitation for prelingual hearing loss, which focuses on patients who experienced hearing loss before acquiring language skills.
• CPT 92633: This code is for auditory rehabilitation for postlingual hearing loss, which addresses patients who experienced hearing loss after acquiring language skills.

10. Examples

1. A group of children with speech sound disorders receiving articulation therapy to improve their production of specific speech sounds.
2. Adults with aphasia participating in group language therapy to improve their expressive and receptive language skills following a stroke.
3. Individuals with voice disorders engaging in group voice therapy to learn techniques for improving vocal quality and reducing vocal strain.
4. A group of children with autism spectrum disorder receiving group social communication therapy to improve their pragmatic language skills and social interactions.
5. Adults with hearing loss participating in group aural rehabilitation to improve their auditory processing and communication abilities.
6. A group of children with language disorders receiving group therapy to improve their vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure skills.
7. Individuals with fluency disorders, such as stuttering, participating in group therapy to learn strategies for improving their speech fluency.
8. A group of children with auditory processing disorder receiving group therapy to improve their ability to process and understand auditory information.
9. Adults with apraxia of speech participating in group therapy to improve their motor planning and coordination for speech production.
10. A group of children with phonological disorders receiving group therapy to improve their ability to use speech sound patterns appropriately.