Psychiatry Coding & Reimbursement Alert

Question: Our psychologist provided psychotherapy for an elderly, housebound patient. How should we report her services?

Maryland Subscriber

Answer: According to CPT® Assistant (Jan. 2010), "There is no specific code to describe psychotherapy provided in a patient's home." The psychotherapy codes in CPT® "are...for services provided either in an office, other outpatient facility, inpatient hospital, partial hospital setting, or residential care facility." So you would report "unlisted code 90899, Unlisted psychiatric service or procedure...when the service is provided in the patient's home," CPT® Assistant indicates.

Remember that when you report "an unlisted code to describe a procedure or service" you should "submit supporting documentation (e.g., procedure report) along with the claim to provide adequate description of the nature, extent, and need for the procedure as well as the time, effort and equipment necessary to provide the service," says CPT® Assistant. In this case, your psychologist should submit details on the psychotherapy and time spent with the patient.