CPT code 90834 is the 45-minute individual psychotherapy code. It bridges the gap between the brief 90832 (30 min) and the full-hour 90837 (60 min), and it is the right code when your sessions reliably run between 38 and 52 minutes.
When to Use CPT 90834
Bill 90834 when the face-to-face psychotherapy time is 38 to 52 minutes. Many therapists who schedule 45-minute appointments default to this code. The AMA time-based rule requires the session to meet or exceed the midpoint to the next code, so a 45-minute session clearly falls in this range.
Typical scenarios for 90834:
- Standard 45-minute weekly individual therapy sessions
- Sessions where 10–15 minutes of a 60-minute slot is used for coordination or notes
- Clients on a 45-minute schedule by preference or clinical recommendation
Typical Fee and Reimbursement
Private-pay fees for 90834 typically run $100–$175 depending on location, clinician credential level, and specialization. Insurance reimbursement for out-of-network claims is generally 50–80% of the plan's Usual, Customary, and Reasonable (UCR) rate after the deductible is met. Medicare's 2025 national rate is approximately $98.
90834 vs 90832 vs 90837: Choosing the Right Code
- 90832 — 16–37 min — use for genuinely brief sessions
- 90834 — 38–52 min — the standard "45-minute" session code
- 90837 — 53+ min — for full 60-minute sessions
Downcoding (using 90834 when you actually delivered 53+ minutes) is as problematic as upcoding. Bill the code that matches the actual time spent.
Add-On Code: +90836
Similar to 90833 for 90832, the add-on code +90836 represents 45-minute psychotherapy provided alongside an E/M code. It is used by prescribing clinicians who conduct both psychiatric medication management and psychotherapy in the same visit.
Documentation Tips
For any time-based CPT code, documentation must support the time billed:
- Record exact start and end time of the psychotherapy portion
- Distinguish psychotherapy time from intake, coordination, or documentation time
- Include presenting concerns, therapeutic techniques, client response, and plan
- Link the session to the active ICD-10 diagnosis on the superbill
On the Superbill
A superbill for a 90834 session must list the CPT code, the fee charged, the date of service, and the ICD-10 code(s). Superbilled populates all required fields automatically so your clients can submit for out-of-network reimbursement with no extra work on their part.