CPT code 90834 is among the most widely used codes in outpatient mental health care. It signifies a 45-minute individual psychotherapy session and is a necessary part of the billing and reimbursement process. For caregivers working in behavioral health or who integrate therapy with their medical practice, comprehension of the correct application of this code is very important.
If you are managing care by way of in-house therapy or are outsourcing your mental health billing services, the correct use of CPT 90834 can lead to the inhibition of claim rejections and can also be a source of easily transitioning your revenue cycle.
In this blog, you will get to know CPT 90834 better—what it refers to, when it is appropriate for use, and how to detect and fix inaccurate billing.
What Is CPT Code 90834, Exactly?
The CPT code 90834 describes a 45-minute psychotherapy session with an individual patient. It sounds like an effortless task. There are several factors to consider.
It means that you have to be present yourself, i.e., in person. However, if you conduct your session through a telehealth platform-approved channel and properly document it, it also counts as a virtual session. The 90834’s time requirement is 38 minutes. If your session lasts less than it, you can opt for 90832 in case you need a code for a shorter session. On the other hand, if your session exceeds 52 minutes, you are advised to switch to 90837 instead.
Most often, therapists and licensed mental health professionals do use the 90834 code with patients who are counseled for depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and substance use, along with other emotional challenges. The content during the counseling session must concern therapeutic treatment.
What Does CPT Code 90834 Cover?
CPT 90834 is used for individual psychotherapy. Specifically, it covers a 45-minute face-to-face session with the patient. The therapy should be focused on addressing emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges.
Sessions billed under this code usually involve:
- Talk therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic therapy
- EMDR (when focused on psychological symptoms)
The key point is that the session must last at least 38 minutes and typically not exceed 52 minutes. If it’s shorter, consider CPT 90832. If longer, you might need CPT 90837.
When Should You Use CPT 90834?
Use this code when:
- The session is between 38 to 52 minutes.
- The focus is strictly on psychotherapy (not medication management or evaluation).
- It’s a one-on-one session (not group or family therapy).
- The therapist is a licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist, LCSW, or licensed counselor.
Don’t use 90834 for:
- Phone or telehealth visits unless the payer accepts it for telehealth.
- Sessions under 38 minutes.
- Group or family therapy.
Avoiding Common Billing Mistakes
One of the biggest mistakes providers make is over- or under-coding. If your session is only 30 minutes, don’t stretch it to fit 90834. Use the appropriate code for what actually happened. It’s not worth the risk of a denial or, worse, a payer audit.
Another mistake is copying and pasting the same note across multiple sessions. Every session should be unique, even if the patient’s condition hasn’t changed much. Payers look for variation that reflects real patient interaction and therapeutic adjustment.
Keep in mind that some insurance companies may have their own rules. For example, certain payers may not reimburse for multiple 90834 sessions on the same day. Others may limit the total number of sessions per year. Always double-check each payer’s guidelines, especially for managed care plans or government payers like Medicare.
CPT Code 90834 vs Other Therapy Codes
It’s also helpful to know when not to use 90834. If your session runs longer than 52 minutes and you’ve engaged in deeper therapeutic work, you might be eligible to bill 90837 instead. If it’s a brief check-in or crisis management session that didn’t involve much therapy, 90832 or even 90791 (for initial assessments) could be more accurate.
What about codes like 90833? That’s an add-on code used when psychotherapy is provided alongside an evaluation and management service by the same provider on the same day. These codes can be used together, but they must be clearly documented as separate, billable services.
Also, watch out for bundled services. In some managed care plans or integrated care settings, psychotherapy may be part of a larger service bundle. This is where specialized codes like the 0232T CPT code come in. While 0232T isn’t used as often as 90834, it serves specific cases such as transcranial magnetic stimulation procedures, and knowing the distinction is crucial to avoid cross-coding errors.
Telehealth and CPT 90834
CPT 90834 is an approved code for telehealth services, which became more considerable after 2020. Nevertheless, the rules for telehealth billing differ from one payer to another. Most insurers want you to not only use the right modifier (95 or GT is usually suggested) but also have the document of the service as a real-time electronic service, i.e., a virtual meeting.
First of all, the provider and the patient must be in different places. The medium used by the parties must be HIPAA-compliant, and according to payer-specific guidance, a place-of-service (POS) code must be selected. For example, Medicare may have its own POS requirements that do not necessarily align with those of commercial plans.
Please keep in mind that audio-only sessions do not always fall under the billable services of 90834. According to telehealth policies, some payers still require both audio and video for service reimbursement.
Why Accurate Use of 90834 Matters
Proper use of CPT 90834 isn’t just about getting paid—it reflects your professionalism and your commitment to ethical billing. Clean claims reduce stress, speed up reimbursements, and help you stay compliant with payer and regulatory requirements.
If your practice struggles with claims getting denied or delayed, it might be time to audit your documentation or bring in billing support. It only takes a few repeated errors to trigger red flags with payers. And no one wants to deal with back-and-forth appeals.
As mental health care continues to expand and diversify, mastering the most commonly used codes—like 90834—will help your practice grow. It keeps your revenue cycle healthy and lets you focus on what matters: your patients.
And when you’re managing claims tied to unique payer types—like workers comp collections—accuracy is everything. These claims can be slower, more complex, and heavily scrutinized. Using 90834 correctly on a workers’ comp claim, along with the right documentation, can help avoid costly delays.
Final Thoughts
CPT code 90834 looks deceptively easy, although there are many factors to consider when using it properly. It requires careful attention to timing, thorough documentation, and adherence to payer-specific rules. However, if you understand the process well and are efficient in documentation, it will become much simpler to get things right.
It doesn’t matter if you send the bill yourself or ask a billing partner for help; as long as you are knowledgeable about the code, your practice will always be in the right direction. Moreover, its proper use would be beneficial and useful to all parties concerned — patients as well as the payers.
