CPT 90836 Billing Services
CPT 90836 reports 45 minutes of psychotherapy provided with an E/M service in the same session. Like 90833 it is an add-on to a medical visit, used when a prescriber delivers a longer block of therapy alongside medication management.
Get a free 90836 billing reviewHow 90836 gets billed cleanly
Each step is documented — miss one and the claim is denied.
What CPT 90836 covers
90836 is the 45-minute counterpart to 90833. It is added to an evaluation and management code when the psychotherapy provided runs to about 45 minutes. The E/M service is still coded separately on its own merits.
As with the other with-E/M add-ons, only psychotherapy time counts, and the therapy must be documented as a distinct service. Choosing between 90833, 90836 and 90838 comes down to the therapy time actually delivered and recorded.
It fits a prescriber who provides a substantial therapy session in addition to the medical service — the same structure as 90833, at a longer therapy duration.
Billing requirements at a glance
| Requirement | What EnVisionMD verifies before submitting |
|---|---|
| A separate E/M service | Billed with an E/M code documented by its own criteria. |
| ~45 minutes of therapy | Therapy time in the 90836 range, recorded apart from the E/M service. |
| Distinct documentation | Medical management and therapy content kept separate in the note. |
| Correct add-on selection | 90833 vs 90836 vs 90838 is chosen by documented therapy time, not rounded up. |
Common 90836 denials — and how we prevent them
| Why it is flagged | How we avoid it |
|---|---|
| Time double-counted | Therapy and E/M time are tracked separately to avoid inflation. |
| Wrong add-on level | We select the add-on that matches the documented therapy duration. |
| Therapy not documented | Missing therapy content is queried before the claim goes out. |
Related codes we also bill
Billing rarely uses one code alone — these sit alongside 90836, each with its own page.
How EnVisionMD RCM bills 90836 for your practice
We run billing end to end — eligibility, POS and modifiers, time and medical-necessity documentation, prior-auth tracking and clean claim submission — so 90836 gets paid and stays off the auditor’s radar.
Request my free 90836 billing reviewCPT 90836 — frequently asked questions
Both are with-E/M psychotherapy add-ons; 90836 reflects about 45 minutes of therapy and 90838 about 60 minutes.
No — it must accompany an E/M service.
Only the psychotherapy time; the E/M portion is coded by its own rules.
It can be furnished via telehealth when payer rules are met, with the appropriate POS and modifier.