# Clinical Social Worker Coding



## mkm1517 (May 24, 2011)

Our primary care clinic just brought on board a clinical social worker.  Do I code these encounters the same way I would code a social worker in the psychology clinic?  The clinical social worker said the only difference between being a clinical and a counseling social worker is that a clinical social worker can actually diagnose patients - so are they performing the same services, just with the addition of using a diagnosis?


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## jdsm3857 (May 24, 2011)

LCSW's don't bill E/M services.  They have an entirely separate set of rules.  There are also a minimal number of CPT codes that they use.  Depending upon what type of service your counselor is performing, they normally have one session a week with a client (they like to refer to "patients" as clients, at least the ones I've dealt with) & that code is a 90806

The most commonly used codes for LCSWs are 90801, 90802, 90806, 90808, 90812, 90814, 90846, & 90847.   

They also use a "DSM-IV" code as their ICD-9 diagnosis code.  You always want to double check for specificity.


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## smdumpert (Jun 3, 2011)

DSM doesn't always "crosswalk" to the correct ICD-9 codes.  We just had this problem with Asperger's and Pervasive Developmental Disorder diagnoses are being coded as Rhett's.  We just changed our EHR and the new EHR uses ICD-9.  This has sent our clinicans into a panic. lol

There is also the possiblity that they will be providing Health and Behavior Assessments, which is different than treating the mental illness.


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## non_ee (Jul 8, 2020)

Telephone visits for LCSW. I think I'm correct that you still use the 90791 for diagnostic interview for individual.
Would you bill the same if it was a family interview husband and wife both on the line for grief counseling?


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## SharonCollachi (Jul 8, 2020)

non_ee said:


> Telephone visits for LCSW. I think I'm correct that you still use the 90791 for diagnostic interview for individual.
> Would you bill the same if it was a family interview husband and wife both on the line for grief counseling?



Since this thread is 9 yrs old, you might want to start a new thread.


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