Psychotherapy: CPT 90832, 90834 and 90837
What CMS.gov says these codes are, the minutes each one needs, and what the note has to show. Checked against CMS.gov on 9/29/26.
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Individual Psychotherapy at a glance
This page covers individual psychotherapy for mental health billing: what the codes cover, how payers apply them, and what to document. Psychotherapists and psychiatrists both use these codes, so the sections below call out differences where they matter. Payer rules vary, so confirm current requirements with the payer before you bill.
Individual psychotherapy is billed by time with the patient, or with the patient and a family member. Choose the code for individual psychotherapy by the face-to-face minutes you document: 90832 for 16 to 37 minutes, 90834 for 38 to 52 minutes, and 90837 for 53 minutes or more. Record start and stop times in every individual psychotherapy note, because payers check the time against the code.
What CMS.gov says these codes are
Quotes are copied from CMS.gov pages. Each quote names its source. Contractor articles are written by Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), the companies that process Medicare claims for a region, and apply to their own region.
Code list entry
“Psychotherapy with patient”
What the service is
“CPT Codes 90832-90838 represent psychotherapy. Psychotherapy without medical evaluation and management services are reported as 90832, 90834 and 90837.”
“Psychotherapy services (CPT codes 90832-90838) are time-based codes. Start and stop times or total times must be documented for CPT codes 90832, 90834, and 90837.”
“Psychotherapy times are for face-to-face services with the patient. The patient must be present for all or some of the service.”
“Individual psychotherapy codes should be used only when the focus of the treatment encounter involves psychotherapy. Psychotherapy codes should not be used as generic psychiatric service codes when another code, such as an E/M or pharmacological management code, would be more appropriate.”
Time range and documentation
Every timed code needs the date of service and the start and end time of the service.
| Code | Service | Time range | Document |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90832 | Psychotherapy, patient and/or family memberContractor article A57520 (First Coast) quotes this range. | 16–37 minutes | Date of service + start and end time Documentation rules |
| 90834 | Psychotherapy, patient and/or family memberMost commonly billed therapy code. | 38–52 minutes | Date of service + start and end time Documentation rules |
| 90837 | Psychotherapy, patient and/or family memberDraws the most audit attention. There is no 46–52 tier and no code for 75 or 90 minutes. | 53 minutes or more | Date of service + start and end time Documentation rules |
How often and with what?
- No annual cap appears in the contractor articles reviewed. Medical necessity governs.
Source: CMS Coverage Database, Article A57480 (WPS, rev. 1/1/2026) - A session over 90 minutes is paid only if the record shows the face-to-face time and the medical necessity for the extra time.
Source: CMS Coverage Database, Article A57480 (WPS, rev. 1/1/2026) - Family psychotherapy (90846/90847) can be reported the same date only as a separate, distinct service in a separate time interval.
Source: CMS, NCCI Medicare Policy Manual, Ch. XI (1/1/2026)
These are Medicare rules. Private payers and state Medicaid programs set their own; ask each payer. Full list: frequency and documentation rules.
Psychotherapists and psychiatrists
Psychotherapists
These three codes are your core psychotherapy list. Choose by the face-to-face minutes on the note.
Psychiatrists
When psychotherapy happens in the same visit as medication management, you report an E/M plus an add-on code instead. See the add-on codes page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the time ranges for 90832, 90834 and 90837?
90832 is 16–37 minutes, 90834 is 38–52 minutes, and 90837 is 53 minutes or more. A Medicare contractor article on CMS.gov (A57520) quotes these ranges. There is no code for 75 or 90 minutes, and a session under 16 minutes is not billable as psychotherapy.
If a session does not last 15 minutes, is it billable?
No. The shortest psychotherapy code, 90832, starts at 16 minutes, so a session of 15 minutes or less is not billable as psychotherapy. The 16–37 minute range is quoted in a Medicare contractor article on CMS.gov (A57520). Ask the payer whether any other code applies to a very short contact.
Are the start and end times of the session required in the note?
Yes, document them. CMS contractor article A57520 says start and stop times, or the total time, must be documented for 90832, 90834 and 90837. Other payers can ask for the same in a prior authorization or an audit, and policies differ, so check each payer's policy. We recommend recording the start time and the end time for every session, since that is the clearest proof of which time range applies.
Does the patient have to be in the session?
Contractor article A57520 says psychotherapy times are for face-to-face services with the patient, and the patient must be present for all or some of the service.
Can I bill a session longer than 90 minutes?
Medicare contractor article A57480 says a session over 90 minutes is paid only if the record documents the face-to-face time and the medical necessity for the extended time. Confirm the rule with each payer.
More CPT code guides
CMS.gov sources
- CMS Coverage Database, Article A57065 (CGS, eff. 10/1/2025)
- CMS Coverage Database, Article A57480 (WPS, rev. 1/1/2026)
- CMS Coverage Database, Article A57520 (First Coast, rev. 1/1/2025)
- CMS, Medicare & Mental Health Coverage (MLN1986542, March 2026)
- CMS, NCCI Medicare Policy Manual, Ch. XI (1/1/2026)
Current as of last search (9/29/26). Reconfirm before publishing. For quick reference only: verify against the current AMA CPT manual and each payer's policy before billing. Operational billing guidance, not legal advice.
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