Psychiatry & telepsychiatry billing
Psychiatry billing services
Billing for psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and telepsychiatry practices. E/M visits with psychotherapy add-ons, PMHNP billing rules and medication-management workflows coded correctly and followed to payment.
Prefer to talk? Call (817) 396-6663
- E/M + psychotherapy add-ons
- PMHNP billing
- Telepsychiatry
Why psychiatry billing is tricky
Two codes, one visit, and no room for double-counting
A psychiatric visit often combines medication management and psychotherapy. That’s billed as an E/M code plus a psychotherapy add-on, and the time spent on therapy can’t also count towards the E/M level. Get it wrong and payers either deny the add-on or ask for money back later.
Psychiatric nurse practitioners add another layer. Some payers credential them on their own, others want them billed under a supervising psychiatrist, and Medicare pays NPs billing under their own number at 85% of the physician rate.
We review each psychiatric visit against the documentation and the payer’s rules before it goes out, and keep a clean record of what was billed and why.
Where revenue gets stuck
Where psychiatry practices lose revenue
E/M level selection
Visit levels chosen by habit instead of by medical decision-making or total time.
Add-on time
Psychotherapy minutes that overlap the E/M, or add-ons billed without a separate E/M service.
PMHNP billing
NP visits billed under the wrong provider or for payers where the NP isn’t credentialed.
Telepsychiatry
Wrong place-of-service code or modifier, and clients seen across state lines.
Medication-related work
Injections, care coordination and prior authorization time that never makes it onto a claim.
Behavioral health carve-outs
Claims sent to the medical plan when a separate administrator manages psychiatric benefits.
Codes we work with every day
Psychiatry code set
The codes behind most psychiatric claims, and the errors that cause denials or recoupments.
907929921499215908339083690838907859637299492994939949499484
| Code(s) | What it covers | Where it goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 90792 | Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with medical services | Billed alongside an E/M on the same day; frequency limits ignored |
| 99202–99205 / 99212–99215 | New and established patient E/M visits | Level not supported by decision-making or time |
| 90833 / 90836 / 90838 | Psychotherapy add-on with E/M (16–37, 38–52, 53+ minutes) | Therapy time not documented separately from the E/M |
| 90785 | Interactive complexity add-on | Used without documenting the complicating factor |
| 96372 + drug code | Injection administration, such as long-acting injectables | Drug units or NDC information missing |
| 99492–99494, 99484 | Collaborative care and behavioral health integration | Monthly time thresholds and care-team roles not documented |
| G2082 / G2083 | Esketamine nasal spray treatment sessions (Medicare) | Observation time or REMS requirements not documented |
Telehealth
Telehealth claims that match each payer’s rules
Telehealth is now routine in behavioral health, but the billing rules aren’t uniform. The same session can need a different place-of-service code or modifier depending on who pays for it.
Place of service
Medicare and many commercial plans use POS 10 when the client is at home and POS 02 when they’re somewhere else. Others still want the office place of service with a modifier. We keep a rule for each payer.
Modifiers
Modifier 95 for synchronous video visits, and audio-only modifiers such as 93 or FQ where a payer covers phone sessions. Using the wrong one is a common reason telehealth claims deny or pay at the wrong rate.
Licensure across state lines
Clients who travel or move create claims in states where a clinician may not be licensed or credentialed. We flag those before the claim goes out.
Documentation
Notes should show the session was delivered by telehealth, the modality used, and where the client and clinician were. We’ll tell you if a payer wants something specific.
Psychiatric nurse practitioners
Billing for PMHNPs, payer by payer
Psychiatric NPs are central to how many practices now provide care, but payers don’t agree on how they should be billed. We set a rule for each payer when we start and keep it current.
Own NPI or incident-to
Some commercial plans credential NPs directly. Others expect visits to be billed under a supervising physician, which only works when the payer’s incident-to or supervision rules are met. Medicare pays NPs who bill under their own NPI at 85% of the physician fee schedule.
Credentialing first
A PMHNP who isn’t credentialed with a payer can’t be billed under their own number for that payer’s clients. We credential NPs alongside physicians and track effective dates so schedules can open up as soon as each payer approves.
Controlled substances
DEA registration and state controlled-substance licenses are part of the credentialing file, so we track their renewal dates too.
For psychiatric practices
Your psychiatrists prescribe. We handle the paperwork.
From solo telepsychiatry practices to multi-provider groups with therapists and NPs, billing runs on the same daily process.
- Every psychiatric visit checked against documentation
- Psychotherapy add-on time reviewed separately
- Prior authorization support for visits and services
- Monthly reporting by provider and payer
The Cure MB difference
What changes for your psychiatry practice
Cleaner claims
Codes, modifiers and payer rules for psychiatry checked before every submission.
Denials worked, not written off
Each denial is read, corrected or appealed, and the cause tracked.
Stronger collections
Aging claims followed by phone and portal until they’re paid or closed with a reason.
Reports you can read
A monthly view of collections, denials and A/R for your psychiatry practice.
Client stories
What practices say about working with us
Behavioral health
I used to dread the end of the month. Now I open one report and I know what was billed, what was paid and which claims are still being worked. When a denial comes in, someone has usually already called the payer before I hear about it.
Dr. Rachel MorenoPsychiatrist, solo practice · Austin, TX
Family medicine
Most of our patients are on Medicare or Medicaid, and the paperwork rules change constantly. Cure MB catches eligibility problems before the visit, and my front desk stopped fielding angry statement calls.
Dr. Daniel OkaforFamily physician, four-provider practice · Columbus, OH
Urgent care
High volume means small errors multiply fast. Claims go out clean, and underpayments get flagged instead of quietly written off.
Dr. Marcus HillMedical director · Phoenix, AZ
Editing note (hidden on the live site): these six testimonials are SAMPLES that show the finished design. To publish a real one, edit the quote, name, role and city, then delete the classes cmb-placeholder and cmb-sample (Block → Advanced → Additional CSS class). Delete any sample you do not replace. The whole section stays hidden on the live site until at least one real testimonial is in.
Free consultation, no obligation
Running a psychiatry practice? Let’s talk numbers.
Tell us how billing works today. We’ll show you what we’d fix first and what it would cost.
Services for psychiatry
Everything your practice needs
Medical billing & codingEligibility verificationDenial managementA/R follow-upInsurance credentialingPayment postingRevenue cycle management
FAQ
Psychiatry billing questions
Short answers to what practices ask us most.
Can a psychiatrist bill an E/M and psychotherapy on the same day?
Yes, using an E/M code plus a psychotherapy add-on (90833, 90836 or 90838). The therapy time must be documented separately and can’t be counted towards the E/M level.
How are psychiatric nurse practitioners billed?
It depends on the payer. Many credential NPs directly; others require billing under a supervising physician when their rules are met. Medicare pays NPs billing under their own NPI at 85% of the physician rate. We set this up payer by payer.
Do you bill telepsychiatry?
Yes. We apply each payer’s place-of-service and modifier rules and flag clients located in states where the provider isn’t licensed or credentialed.
Can you help with prior authorizations?
We handle authorizations for visits and services that need them, and can help your team organize medication prior authorization paperwork.
Do you work with Valant?
Yes, along with SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, Tebra and other EHRs used by psychiatric practices.
Other specialties
Billing for other specialties
Mental & Behavioral HealthTherapy & CounselingPsychologyPhysical TherapyChiropracticAcupunctureUrgent CareWound CareInternal Medicine & Primary CareAll specialties
Talk to a billing specialist
Talk to a specialist about psychiatry billing
Tell us about your psychiatric practice: providers, payers and EHR. A specialist who works psychiatry claims every day will reply within one business day.
- Call(817) 396-6663
- Emailsupport@curemb.com
- WhatsAppMessage us on WhatsApp
Book Your Free Consultation
Takes under a minute.
We reply within one business day. No patient information, please.