Behavioral Assessment & Testing

96158 CPT

Health behavior intervention, individual; initial 30 minutes

System

CPT code

Timing

Time-based — 30-min units

Add-on

No — billable on its own

CPT 96158 reports an individual, face-to-face health behavior intervention focused on a physical health problem, for the initial 30 minutes.

When to use 96158

Use 96158 after a 96156 assessment to deliver one-on-one intervention around a physical condition such as diabetes or chronic pain. The group equivalent is 96164 and the family equivalent is 96167.

How to bill it

Report for the first 30 minutes of individual intervention and add 96159 for each additional 15 minutes. Pair with a relevant medical diagnosis.

Common pitfalls

  • Using 96158 for a primary mental health diagnosis rather than a physical condition.
  • Forgetting to add 96159 for time beyond the first 30 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I bill more than 30 minutes of intervention?

Bill 96158 for the initial 30 minutes and add 96159 for each additional 15 minutes.

What diagnosis supports 96158?

A physical health condition (e.g., diabetes, cardiac disease) drives the health-behavior codes; a primary psychiatric diagnosis does not.

Related Behavioral Assessment & Testing codes

Pair this code with a billing tool

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