AMA CPT® Assistant - 2011 Issue 2 (February)
Medicine: Psychiatry (Q&A) (February 2011)
February 2011 page 9 Medicine: Psychiatry Question: At our facility, an initial psychiatric diagnostic interview and examination is conducted on each patient. However, since these examinations are performed by a therapist licensed to perform psychotherapy and not a psychiatrist (MD), may we report CPT code 90801 , Psychiatric diagnostic interview examination ? Answer: Yes. CPT code 90801 , Psychiatric diagnostic interview examination , describes a service in which the clinician elicits a history (from the patient and/or his family), performs a mental status examination, establishes a tentative diagnosis of the patient, and evaluates disposition. This may include evaluating the patient’s capacity to...
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Article Overview
This article addresses a psychiatry billing question from CPT Assistant and explains the scope of guidance around reporting an initial psychiatric diagnostic interview and examination when performed by a therapist rather than a psychiatrist. It is relevant to behavioral health practices, coders, and billing staff who need to understand the general CPT reporting context and payer-policy considerations discussed in the Q&A.
Why This Topic Matters
Psychiatry services often involve different clinician types and payer policies, so understanding the article’s CPT-focused guidance can help readers assess whether the topic applies to their documentation and reporting workflow.
Article Sections
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February 2011 page 9
Introduces the psychiatry Q&A item from the February 2011 issue and frames the coding question discussed in the article.
What You Will Learn
- The general CPT context for an initial psychiatric diagnostic interview and examination
- How the article frames reporting considerations when the service is performed by a nonphysician clinician
- Why payer-specific policies may still need to be checked for behavioral health services
- The type of clinical information typically associated with this psychiatry service category
Who Should Read This
- Psychiatry coders
- Behavioral health billing staff
- Clinical documentation specialists
- Practice managers
- Compliance staff
Codes Discussed
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