CPT code 90834: 45-minute individual psychotherapy

Which code fits the session

Bill the code that matches the minutes you spent with the client, not the time you booked. A 50-minute session is 90834, and a 55-minute session is 90837.

When to use 90834

• Routine individual psychotherapy when the session runs about 45 minutes
• The 'standard' therapy hour for ongoing weekly or biweekly care

What to document

• Total time, or start and stop times, of the face-to-face session
• Therapeutic interventions used and the modality
• The client's response and progress toward treatment-plan goals
• Current ICD-10 diagnosis and the plan for next steps

Common reasons 90834 gets denied

• Documented time does not support a 45-minute session
• No diagnosis, an unspecified diagnosis, or no documented medical necessity
• Wrong place of service or missing telehealth modifier for virtual sessions

Add-on codes you can bill with 90834

An add-on code goes on the same claim as 90834 and is never billed by itself.

Billing 90834 by telehealth

The CPT code stays the same when you see a client by video or phone. For Medicare, the place of service changes. Use 10 when the client is at home and 02 when they are somewhere else, such as a clinic. Add modifier 93 when the session was audio-only. Commercial plans and Medicaid set their own rules, and many of them also want modifier 95 on video sessions, so check each payer's telehealth policy.

Medicare covers mental health telehealth in the client's home permanently, wherever the client lives. Through 2027 it pays for audio-only sessions with no extra conditions. From January 1, 2028, audio-only needs a client who can't use video or doesn't agree to it. In 2028 Medicare also starts requiring an in-person visit within 6 months before a client's first mental health telehealth session, then one every 12 months. Clients who start telehealth before 2028 only need the yearly visit. The CMS telehealth page has the current Medicare rules.

How much does 90834 pay in 2026?

Medicare, national non-QP

$113.90

Typical commercial range

$125 to $171

• The commercial range is 110 to 150% of Medicare. Real contracts run from below 80% to above 200%.
• Medicare pays master's-level clinicians (LCSW, LMFT, LPC) about 75% of the listed amount.
• Your locality's geographic adjustment (GPCI) moves the rate a little.
• Out-of-network clients claim 90834 on a superbill, and their plan pays back a share of what it allows for the code, not a share of your fee.
• Qualifying APM Participants are paid under a slightly higher conversion factor than the non-QP $33.4009 used here.

Medicare figures checked against the official CMS 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Relative Value Files (RVU26D) on Oct 17, 2026.

Related codes

Frequently asked questions