Mental health cpt codes for behavioral health billing

But if the company terminates or reduces care much sooner than your psychologist thinks is appropriate, that could indicate a possible violation of the parity law. Prior to the parity law, many insurance plans required patients to meet different and often higher deductibles for mental health services than for medical services. As a result of the law, a single deductible now applies to both mental health treatment and medical services. In some cases, your plan may pay for mental health treatment after you have paid part of your deductible but not cover physical health treatment until you have reached the full deductible.

Your cost depends on the type of therapist and whether you're seeking local or online therapy. The mental health parity and addiction equity act of 2008 prohibits private insurers from discriminating against people with mental health diagnoses or providers who offer mental health services. In other words, insurers must now cover mental health care to the same Mental health billing services that they cover physical health care. This legislation aims to expand access to mental health care. In many cases, it also offers greater earning power for therapists, who may be able to serve clients who cannot afford to pay for coverage on their own.

Cpt codes describe medical procedures, such as tests, evaluations, surgeries and other proceduresperformed by a physician on a patient. In a behavioral health setting, cpt codes describe the length of a psychotherapy session, for example, or an intake interview. Cpt codes are necessary to receive reimbursement from insurance providers. If you’re already seeing a behavioral therapist or psychiatrist, it can be distressing to find another professional you trust. Look for health insurance plans that your doctors accept or choose a ppo plan which can give you more freedom to see medical service providers outside of your network.

We also provide minute couples sessions, and insurance only pays for minute sessions. If you need therapy, it is essential to understand the different ways therapists charge before developing a treatment plan. Mental health professions charge either per hour or per session, with prices fluctuating on a sliding scale based on your income.

Community mental health clinics typically cost less than a therapist in a private practice. While some therapists will charge as much as $250 per hour, the average 45 to 60-minute session costs between $60 and $120. Many health insurance providers offer high-quality coverage where therapy costs $20 to $50 per session, or that equal to your current copay.