CPT 90834 is the most common individual psychotherapy code, covering a session of approximately 45 minutes. It sits in the middle of the three time-based individual therapy codes.
When to use 90834
Use 90834 for a total documented psychotherapy time of 38–52 minutes. Shorter sessions (16–37 min) are 90832 and longer ones (53–67 min) are 90837. The code must reflect actual session time.
How to bill it
Report a single unit based on total face-to-face minutes and document start and stop times. Pairing an E/M service with therapy on the same date requires the add-on codes 90833–90838.
Common pitfalls
- Defaulting to 90834 for every visit regardless of actual time.
- Billing individual 90834 for group participants instead of 90853.
Frequently asked questions
Why is 90834 used so often?
A standard 45–50 minute therapy session typically falls in the 38–52 minute range that 90834 covers, making it the default for routine individual outpatient therapy.
Can I bill 90834 if the session ran 60 minutes?
If the documented psychotherapy time reached 53–67 minutes, 90837 is the correct code instead of 90834.