Partial hospitalization program group therapy room

POS 52

Place of Service Code 52: Psychiatric Facility - Partial Hospitalization

POS Code

Telehealth

What is Place of Service Code 52?

POS 52 is used for services rendered in a psychiatric partial hospitalization program (PHP) or intensive outpatient program (IOP) setting. These structured day-treatment programs serve as a step down from inpatient hospitalization and require a higher level of clinical documentation and prior authorization than standard outpatient therapy.

When to Use POS 52

Use POS 52 when billing for mental health services delivered within a licensed partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient psychiatric program. This includes individual and group therapy sessions that occur as part of a structured PHP or IOP program.

CPT Codes Commonly Paired with POS 52

These CPT codes are frequently billed with Place of Service 52 in therapy practice:

CPT 90853 - Group psychotherapy CPT 90837 - Psychotherapy, 60 minutes CPT 90791 - Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation CPT 99213 - Office or outpatient visit, moderate complexity CPT 90849 - Multiple-family group psychotherapy

Billing Notes for POS 52

Important: PHP and IOP claims under POS 52 almost universally require prior authorization and ongoing concurrent reviews. Medicare uses specific PHP billing rules — services must be provided under a physician's plan of care. Document the patient's level-of-care criteria in every session note to support continued authorization.

Common Mistakes with POS 52

✗Billing POS 52 for standard outpatient therapy sessions not part of a formal PHP/IOP program
✗Starting services before obtaining prior authorization — payers rarely retro-authorize PHP/IOP
✗Failing to document daily treatment plan progress notes as required for PHP level of care
✗Using POS 53 (CMHC) or POS 11 (office) for services that meet PHP criteria under POS 52

Adding POS 52 to a Superbill

Superbilled lets you specify the Place of Service code on every superbill you generate. When creating a superbill with POS 52, 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 52 free