© Copyright 2026 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
Psychotherapy, as defined by CPT® Code 90837, involves a structured therapeutic interaction between a mental health professional and a patient, lasting for a duration of 60 minutes. This form of individual psychotherapy aims to facilitate behavior modification through various techniques, including re-education, support, reassurance, and insight discussions. The process is designed to enhance the patient's self-understanding and address psychological issues that may affect their behavior and emotional well-being. Additionally, psychotherapy may also focus on evaluating and improving family relationship dynamics that are relevant to the patient's mental health condition. It is important to note that if the psychotherapy session is shorter, alternative codes are available: CPT® Code 90832 is used for sessions lasting 30 minutes, and CPT® Code 90834 is applicable for 45-minute sessions. In cases where psychotherapy is provided alongside medical evaluation and management services, different codes should be reported: CPT® Code 90833 for 30 minutes, CPT® Code 90836 for 45 minutes, and CPT® Code 90838 for 60 minutes. This structured approach ensures that the therapeutic needs of the patient are met while allowing for appropriate coding and billing practices.
© Copyright 2026 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.
Get instant expert-level answers from CasePilot, our coding assistant.
The indications for utilizing CPT® Code 90837 include various mental health conditions and situations where individual psychotherapy is deemed necessary. These may encompass:
The procedure for CPT® Code 90837 involves several key steps that ensure effective delivery of psychotherapy. These steps include:
After the completion of the psychotherapy session coded as CPT® 90837, the patient may be advised on follow-up appointments and any additional therapeutic activities to reinforce the progress made during the session. The therapist may provide the patient with coping strategies or exercises to practice until the next session. It is also important for the therapist to review the patient's response to the therapy and adjust the treatment plan as necessary. Regular follow-up sessions are typically scheduled to ensure ongoing support and to address any emerging issues. The therapist may also recommend additional resources or referrals if further intervention is needed.
| Short Descr | PSYTX W PT 60 MINUTES | Medium Descr | PSYCHOTHERAPY W/PATIENT 60 MINUTES | Long Descr | Psychotherapy, 60 minutes with patient | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | XXX - Global Concept Does Not Apply | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 0 - Physician Service Code | Multiple Procedures (51) | 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply. | Bilateral Surgery (50) | 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply. | Physician Supervisions | 09 - Concept does not apply. | Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) | 9 - Concept does not apply. | Co-Surgeons (62) | 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | Codes That May Be Paid Through a Composite APC | Type of Service (TOS) | 1 - Medical Care | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | M5B - Specialist - psychiatry | MUE | 2 | CCS Clinical Classification | 218 - Psychological and psychiatric evaluation and therapy |
This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.
| 0770T | Add-on Code MPFS Status: Carrier Priced APC E1 Virtual reality technology to assist therapy (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) | 90785 | Telehealth Service (Medicare) Addon Code Telemedicine Service (AMA) Audio-Only Telemedicine (AMA) MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Interactive complexity (List separately in addition to the code for primary procedure) | 90863 | Addon Code Telemedicine Service (AMA) MPFS Status: Not valid for Medicare purposes APC E1 Pharmacologic management, including prescription and review of medication, when performed with psychotherapy services (List separately in addition to the code for primary procedure) |
| 95 | Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system. | GT | Via interactive audio and video telecommunication systems | AJ | Clinical social worker | AH | Clinical psychologist | HO | Masters degree level | 93 | Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via telephone or other real-time interactive audio-only telecommunications system : synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located away at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that is sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. | FQ | The service was furnished using audio-only communication technology | GW | Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition | XE | Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter | 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | GJ | "opt out" physician or practitioner emergency or urgent service | HP | Doctoral level | GY | Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit | FR | The supervising practitioner was present through two-way, audio/video communication technology | GQ | Via asynchronous telecommunications system | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | Q2 | Demonstration procedure/service | U4 | Medicaid level of care 4, as defined by each state | GV | Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider | HB | Adult program, non geriatric | AM | Physician, team member service | GA | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case | U6 | Medicaid level of care 6, as defined by each state | U7 | Medicaid level of care 7, as defined by each state | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | HE | Mental health program | HN | Bachelors degree level | UB | Medicaid level of care 11, as defined by each state | HW | Funded by state mental health agency | SA | Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician | 25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional on the same day of the procedure or other service: it may be necessary to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a cpt code was performed, the patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable e/m service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. a significant, separately identifiable e/m service is defined or substantiated by documentation that satisfies the relevant criteria for the respective e/m service to be reported (see evaluation and management services guidelines for instructions on determining level of e/m service). the e/m service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. as such, different diagnoses are not required for reporting of the e/m services on the same date. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 25 to the appropriate level of e/m service. note: this modifier is not used to report an e/m service that resulted in a decision to perform surgery. see modifier 57 for significant, separately identifiable non-e/m services, see modifier 59. | 32 | Mandated services: services related to mandated consultation and/or related services (eg, third party payer, governmental, legislative or regulatory requirement) may be identified by adding modifier 32 to the basic procedure. | AF | Specialty physician | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | CC | Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed) | GZ | Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary | HF | Substance abuse program | HL | Intern | KX | Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met | MC | Ordering professional is not required to consult a clinical decision support mechanism due to the significant hardship exception of electronic health record or clinical decision support mechanism vendor issues | U3 | Medicaid level of care 3, as defined by each state | UD | Medicaid level of care 13, as defined by each state | V3 | Demonstration modifier 3 | X2 | Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services | XP | Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service | 22 | Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 23 | Unusual anesthesia: occasionally, a procedure, which usually requires either no anesthesia or local anesthesia, because of unusual circumstances must be done under general anesthesia. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 23 to the procedure code of the basic service. | 24 | Unrelated evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during a postoperative period: the physician or other qualified health care professional may need to indicate that an evaluation and management service was performed during a postoperative period for a reason(s) unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 24 to the appropriate level of e/m service. | 26 | Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number. | 52 | Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 53 | Discontinued procedure: under certain circumstances, the physician or other qualified health care professional may elect to terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure. due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, it may be necessary to indicate that a surgical or diagnostic procedure was started but discontinued. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 53 to the code reported by the individual for the discontinued procedure. note: this modifier is not used to report the elective cancellation of a procedure prior to the patient's anesthesia induction and/or surgical preparation in the operating suite. for outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 58 | Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78. | 76 | Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 77 | Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | 96 | Habilitative services: when a service or procedure that may be either habilitative or rehabilitative in nature is provided for habilitative purposes, the physician or other qualified health care professional may add modifier 96 to the service or procedure code to indicate that the service or procedure provided was a habilitative service. habilitative services help an individual learn skills and functioning for daily living that the individual has not yet developed, and then keep and/or improve those learned skills. habilitative services also help an individual keep, learn, or improve skills and functioning for daily living. | 97 | Rehabilitative services: when a service or procedure that may be either habilitative or rehabilitative in nature is provided for rehabilitative purposes, the physician or other qualified health care professional may add modifier 97 to the service or procedure code to indicate that the service or procedure provided was a rehabilitative service. rehabilitative services help an individual keep, get back, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired because the individual was sick, hurt, or disabled. | 99 | Multiple modifiers: under certain circumstances 2 or more modifiers may be necessary to completely delineate a service. in such situations modifier 99 should be added to the basic procedure, and other applicable modifiers may be listed as part of the description of the service. | A1 | Dressing for one wound | A3 | Dressing for three wounds | A6 | Dressing for six wounds | A9 | Dressing for nine or more wounds | AG | Primary physician | AI | Principal physician of record | AK | Non participating physician | AO | Alternate payment method declined by provider of service | AR | Physician provider services in a physician scarcity area | AV | Item furnished in conjunction with a prosthetic device, prosthetic or orthotic | CG | Policy criteria applied | CO | Outpatient occupational therapy services furnished in whole or in part by an occupational therapy assistant | CS | Cost-sharing waived for specified covid-19 testing-related services that result in and order for or administration of a covid-19 test and/or used for cost-sharing waived preventive services furnished via telehealth in rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers during the covid-19 public health emergency | E2 | Lower left, eyelid | F3 | Left hand, fourth digit | F4 | Left hand, fifth digit | F9 | Right hand, fifth digit | FC | Partial credit received for replaced device | FS | Split (or shared) evaluation and management visit | FT | Unrelated evaluation and management (e/m) visit on the same day as another e/m visit or during a global procedure (preoperative, postoperative period, or on the same day as the procedure, as applicable). (report when an e/m visit is furnished within the global period but is unrelated, or when one or more additional e/m visits furnished on the same day are unrelated) | G0 | Telehealth services for diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment, of symptoms of an acute stroke | G5 | Most recent urr reading of 75 or greater | G7 | Pregnancy resulted from rape or incest or pregnancy certified by physician as life threatening | GB | Claim being re-submitted for payment because it is no longer covered under a global payment demonstration | GF | Non-physician (e.g. nurse practitioner (np), certified registered nurse anesthetist (crna), certified registered nurse (crn), clinical nurse specialist (cns), physician assistant (pa)) services in a critical access hospital | GH | Diagnostic mammogram converted from screening mammogram on same day | GP | Services delivered under an outpatient physical therapy plan of care | GR | This service was performed in whole or in part by a resident in a department of veterans affairs medical center or clinic, supervised in accordance with va policy | GU | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, routine notice | GX | Notice of liability issued, voluntary under payer policy | HA | Child/adolescent program | HC | Adult program, geriatric | HD | Pregnant/parenting women's program | HH | Integrated mental health/substance abuse program | HJ | Employee assistance program | HK | Specialized mental health programs for high-risk populations | HM | Less than bachelor degree level | HQ | Group setting | HR | Family/couple with client present | HV | Funded state addictions agency | HY | Funded by juvenile justice agency | JA | Administered intravenously | JG | Drug or biological acquired with 340b drug pricing program discount, reported for informational purposes | KP | First drug of a multiple drug unit dose formulation | KW | Dmepos item subject to dmepos competitive bidding program number 4 | P1 | A normal healthy patient | PD | Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days | PN | Non-excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | PO | Excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital | Q0 | Investigational clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | Q1 | Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study | Q5 | Service furnished under a reciprocal billing arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area | Q6 | Service furnished under a fee-for-time compensation arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area | QD | Recording and storage in solid state memory by a digital recorder | QG | Prescribed amount of stationary oxygen while at rest is greater than 4 liters per minute (lpm) | QJ | Services/items provided to a prisoner or patient in state or local custody, however the state or local government, as applicable, meets the requirements in 42 cfr 411.4 (b) | QR | Prescribed amounts of stationary oxygen for daytime use while at rest and nighttime use differ and the average of the two amounts is greater than 4 liters per minute (lpm) | QT | Recording and storage on tape by an analog tape recorder | SC | Medically necessary service or supply | SJ | Third or more concurrently administered infusion therapy | ST | Related to trauma or injury | SW | Services provided by a certified diabetic educator | TD | Rn | TE | Lpn/lvn | TG | Complex/high tech level of care | TH | Obstetrical treatment/services, prenatal or postpartum | TL | Early intervention/individualized family service plan (ifsp) | TN | Rural/outside providers' customary service area | TP | Medical transport, unloaded vehicle | TV | Special payment rates, holidays/weekends | U1 | Medicaid level of care 1, as defined by each state | U2 | Medicaid level of care 2, as defined by each state | U5 | Medicaid level of care 5, as defined by each state | U8 | Medicaid level of care 8, as defined by each state | U9 | Medicaid level of care 9, as defined by each state | UA | Medicaid level of care 10, as defined by each state | UC | Medicaid level of care 12, as defined by each state | UF | Services provided in the morning | UH | Services provided in the evening | UK | Services provided on behalf of the client to someone other than the client (collateral relationship) | X1 | Continuous/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians, who provide the principal care for a patient, with no planned endpoint of the relationship; services in this category represent comprehensive care, dealing with the entire scope of patient problems, either directly or in a care coordination role; reporting clinician service examples include, but are not limited to: primary care, and clinicians providing comprehensive care to patients in addition to specialty care | X4 | Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period | X5 | Diagnostic services requested by another clinician: for reporting services by a clinician who furnishes care to the patient only as requested by another clinician or subsequent and related services requested by another clinician; this modifier is reported for patient relationships that may not be adequately captured by the above alternative categories; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the radiologist's interpretation of an imaging study requested by another clinician | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure |
|
Date
|
Action
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-01 | Changed | Long, Medium and Short descriptions changed. |
| 2013-01-01 | Added | Added. Also added parenthetical note regarding prolonged services per AMA 2013 corrections document. |
Get instant expert-level medical coding assistance.