Table of Contents

Basics of CPT code 90834

Psychotherapy is the treatment of mental illness and behavioral disturbances in which the physician or other qualified health care professional, through definitive therapeutic communication, attempts to alleviate the emotional disturbances, reverse or change maladaptive patterns of behavior, and encourage personality growth and development. CPT code 90834 is used for reporting Psychotherapy exams.

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Description of CPT code 90834

Individual psychotherapy is provided to a patient utilizing re-education, support and reassurance, insight discussions, and occasionally medication to affect behavior modification through self-understanding, or to evaluate and improve family relationship dynamics as they relate to the patient’s condition. If psychotherapy alone is provided, CPT code 90832 is reported for 30 minutes, CPT code 90834 for 45 minutes, and CPT code 90837 for 60 minutes. If medical evaluation and management services are performed with the psychotherapy, CPT code 90833 is reported for 30 minutes, CPT code 90836 for 45 minutes, and CPT code 90838 for 60 minutes.

Codes 90832, 90833, 90834, 90836, 90837, 90838 describe psychotherapy for the individual patient, although times are for face-to-face services with patient and may include informant(s). The patient must be present for all or a majority of the service.

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Coding tips for CPT code 90834

In reporting, choose the code closest to the actual time (ie, 16-37 minutes for 90832 and 90833, 38-52 minutes for CPT code 90834 and 90836, and 53 or more minutes for 90837 and 90838). Do not report psychotherapy of less than 16 minutes duration.

Psychotherapy provided to a patient in a crisis state is reported with codes 90839 and 90840 and cannot be reported in addition to the psychotherapy codes 90832-90838.

Don’t report codes 90832-90838 with 90847 for the same date of service.

If medical evaluation and management services also are provided, report code 90836.

RVUs and Fees of CPT code 90834

Non-Facility	Work	MP	PE	RVU	Total
Non-Facility	2.24	0.06	0.65	2.95	$99.97
Facility	Work	MP	PE	RVU	Total
Facility	2.24	0.06	0.30	2.60	$88.11

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Additional code information of CPT code 90834

PC/TC Indicator (26): 0 = Physician Service Codes

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 Supervision: 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

Other related codes with CPT code 90834

CPT Code 90785 is an add-on code to report interactive complexity services when provided in conjunction with the psychotherapy codes 90832-90838. For family psychotherapy, Use CPT code 90846, 90847. The amount of time spent by a physician or other qualified health care professional providing interactive complexity services should be reflected in the timed service code for psychotherapy (90832, 90834, 90837) or the psychotherapy add-on code performed with an evaluation and management service (90833, 90836, 90838).

Some psychiatric patients receive a medical evaluation and management (E/M) service on the same day as a psychotherapy service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional. To report both E/M and psychotherapy, the two services must be significant and separately identifiable. These services are reported by using codes specific for psychotherapy when performed with evaluation and management services (90833, 90836, 90838) as add-on codes to the evaluation and management service.

Medical symptoms and disorders inform treatment choices of psychotherapeutic interventions, and data from therapeutic communication are used to evaluate the presence, type, and severity of medical symptoms and disorders. For the purposes of reporting, the medical and psychotherapeutic components of the service may be separately identified as follows:

1. The type and level of E/M service is selected based on medical decision making.

2. Time spent on the activities of the E/M service is not included in the time used for reporting the psychotherapy service. Time may not be used as the basis of E/M code selection and prolonged services may not be reported when psychotherapy with E/M (90833, 90836, 90838) are reported.

3. A separate diagnosis is not required for the reporting of E/M and psychotherapy on the same date of service.

CPT code 90834 coding guide for Medical coders