SuperbilledSuperbilled
Get started free
Home / Place of Service Codes / POS 23
Hospital emergency room corridor
POS 23

Place of Service Code 23: Emergency Room - Hospital

POS Code
23
Telehealth
No

What is Place of Service Code 23?

POS 23 identifies services provided in a hospital emergency room. In the mental health context, this is most often a psychiatric evaluation, crisis intervention, or brief stabilization service. Billing mental health services under POS 23 is relatively uncommon for outpatient therapists but applies to psychiatric crisis presentations.

When to Use POS 23

Use POS 23 when providing a covered mental health service in a hospital emergency department — typically a psychiatric evaluation or crisis intervention, not an ongoing therapy session. Most private-practice therapists will not bill POS 23.

CPT Codes Commonly Paired with POS 23

These CPT codes are frequently billed with Place of Service 23 in therapy practice:

CPT 90791 - Psychiatric diagnostic evaluationCPT 90839 - Psychotherapy for crisis, first 60 minutesCPT 90840 - Psychotherapy for crisis, each additional 30 minCPT 99283 - Emergency department visit, moderate complexityCPT 99285 - Emergency department visit, high complexity

Billing Notes for POS 23

Important: POS 23 claims are subject to facility reimbursement rates. Crisis psychotherapy CPT codes 90839/90840 are specifically designed for emergency psychiatric settings. Payers may require documentation that the intervention occurred in the ED, not a follow-up office visit. Most commercial therapists will not bill this POS.

Common Mistakes with POS 23

  • ✗Using 90839 (crisis psychotherapy) outside an emergency setting — it requires a POS consistent with crisis care
  • ✗Billing POS 23 for a routine therapy session following a patient crisis — use POS 11 or 02 for follow-ups
  • ✗Omitting concurrent documentation of the emergency encounter to support POS 23 on audit
  • ✗Attempting to bill ongoing therapy sessions with POS 23 to receive higher reimbursement rates

Adding POS 23 to a Superbill

Superbilled lets you specify the Place of Service code on every superbill you generate. When creating a superbill with POS 23, ensure your NPI, the patient's diagnosis code, date of service, fee charged, and amount paid are all included. The correct POS code helps insurers process your claim accurately and avoid unnecessary denials.

Generate a superbill with POS 23 free