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The CPT® Code 90840 refers to psychotherapy for crisis intervention, specifically for each additional 30 minutes of service provided. This type of psychotherapy is designed to assist patients who are experiencing a mental health crisis, which can occur when an individual feels overwhelmed or unable to manage a particular situation or event. The primary goal of crisis psychotherapy is to offer immediate and short-term support to help alleviate emotional, mental, and behavioral distress that the patient may be facing. During these sessions, the therapist focuses on the immediate issues at hand, working to minimize the stress associated with the crisis. This may involve providing emotional support, developing effective coping strategies, and offering reassurance to the patient. In some cases, psychotropic medications may also be utilized to help reduce anxiety and enhance the patient's ability to cope with the situation. It is important to note that CPT® Code 90839 is used to report the first 60 minutes of psychotherapy for crisis intervention, while CPT® Code 90840 is specifically designated for each additional 30 minutes of therapy that follows the initial session.
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The indications for utilizing CPT® Code 90840 include situations where a patient is experiencing a mental health crisis that requires immediate intervention. This may encompass a variety of symptoms or conditions, such as:
The procedure for psychotherapy for crisis, as indicated by CPT® Code 90840, involves several key steps that are essential for effective intervention. Each step is designed to address the immediate needs of the patient in crisis.
Post-procedure care following the use of CPT® Code 90840 includes monitoring the patient's emotional state and ensuring that they have access to ongoing support if needed. Patients may be advised to engage in self-care practices and utilize coping strategies discussed during the session. It is also important for the therapist to schedule follow-up appointments to continue addressing any lingering issues related to the crisis and to provide additional therapeutic support as necessary. Documentation of the session, including the patient's progress and any changes in their mental health status, is essential for continuity of care and for any future therapeutic interventions.
| Short Descr | PSYTX CRISIS EA ADDL 30 MIN | Medium Descr | PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR CRISIS EACH ADDL 30 MINUTES | Long Descr | Psychotherapy for crisis; each additional 30 minutes (List separately in addition to code for primary service) | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | ZZZ - Code Related to Another Service | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 0 - Physician Service Code | Multiple Procedures (51) | 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply. | Bilateral Surgery (50) | 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply. | Physician Supervisions | 09 - Concept does not apply. | Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) | 0 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure... | Co-Surgeons (62) | 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | Items and Services Packaged into APC Rates | Type of Service (TOS) | 1 - Medical Care | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | M5B - Specialist - psychiatry | MUE | 3 | CCS Clinical Classification | 218 - Psychological and psychiatric evaluation and therapy |
This is an add-on code that must be used in conjunction with one of these primary codes.
| 90839 | Telehealth Service (Medicare) Telemedicine Service (AMA) Audio-Only Telemedicine (AMA) MPFS Status: Active Code APC Q3 Psychotherapy for crisis; first 60 minutes |
| 95 | Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system. | GY | Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit | AH | Clinical psychologist | GT | Via interactive audio and video telecommunication systems | U4 | Medicaid level of care 4, as defined by each state | 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | AJ | Clinical social worker | GW | Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition | 25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional on the same day of the procedure or other service: it may be necessary to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a cpt code was performed, the patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable e/m service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. a significant, separately identifiable e/m service is defined or substantiated by documentation that satisfies the relevant criteria for the respective e/m service to be reported (see evaluation and management services guidelines for instructions on determining level of e/m service). the e/m service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. as such, different diagnoses are not required for reporting of the e/m services on the same date. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 25 to the appropriate level of e/m service. note: this modifier is not used to report an e/m service that resulted in a decision to perform surgery. see modifier 57 for significant, separately identifiable non-e/m services, see modifier 59. | 76 | Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | 93 | Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via telephone or other real-time interactive audio-only telecommunications system : synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located away at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that is sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. | AT | Acute treatment (this modifier should be used when reporting service 98940, 98941, 98942) | CC | Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed) | CR | Catastrophe/disaster related | FQ | The service was furnished using audio-only communication technology | FR | The supervising practitioner was present through two-way, audio/video communication technology | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | GQ | Via asynchronous telecommunications system | GV | Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider | GZ | Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary | HB | Adult program, non geriatric | HN | Bachelors degree level | HO | Masters degree level | PD | Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days | SA | Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician | U2 | Medicaid level of care 2, as defined by each state | U6 | Medicaid level of care 6, as defined by each state | UD | Medicaid level of care 13, as defined by each state |
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