Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement - 2008 Issue 39
Part B Mythbuster: Use Caution When Reporting 90846 for Family Counseling
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Article Overview
This Medicare Part B mythbuster reviews a common misunderstanding about reporting family counseling when the patient is not present. It explains the article’s focus on psychiatric services, payer variability, and CMS policy context for services involving relatives or close associates. The piece is aimed at coders, billing staff, and clinicians who need to understand when this type of counseling-related service may be reportable and when it may be treated as part of broader office visit work.
Why This Topic Matters
Incorrectly reporting family counseling or psychotherapy services can create billing errors, compliance risk, and payer denials. Understanding the Medicare and payer context helps practices distinguish routine family discussions from separately reportable psychiatric services.
What You Will Learn
- How Medicare Part B treats family-related counseling discussions
- Why payer guidance may differ for psychiatric services involving family members
- What general CMS policy context applies to interviews with relatives or close associates
- Why it is important to verify payer-specific rules before submitting a claim
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Physicians
- Mental health professionals
- Practice managers
Codes Discussed
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