Expect fewer psychotherapy codes, new add-on for medication management

Why This Topic Matters

Psychiatric billing changed significantly with the CPT 2013 update, affecting how diagnostic evaluations, psychotherapy, interactive complexity, crisis services, and medication management are reported. Understanding the scope of the revisions helps practices avoid claim errors and prepare documentation for review.

Article Sections

1. Coding

   Introduces the year’s psychiatric billing changes and frames the discussion around the CPT update affecting multiple service types.

2. 4 notes on psychotherapy code changes

   Summarizes the main categories of psychotherapy-related revisions, including deleted codes, new diagnostic evaluation reporting, interactive complexity, and time-based psychotherapy updates.

3. Here’s a look at the new psychotherapy codes

   Provides a listing of the revised psychotherapy and psychiatric diagnostic evaluation codes introduced in the update.