Understand the ins and outs of CPT codes to help make documentation and billing more efficient — and give you more time to focus on other areas of your practice.
Billing and coding
How to use CPT code 90792 for a psychiatric intake
Because 90792 can only be billed by psychiatrists and nurse practitioners, it’s a less commonly used code for intake assessments, but has many of the same expectations.
December 21, 2023 • Updated on October 16, 2026
By the Headway Editorial Team
14 min read
By the Headway Editorial Team
What to know
1
CPT code 90792 is used for a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation that includes medical services, a service that commonly takes place during a psychiatric intake session.
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90792 is not a time-based code.
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Many payers allow providers to bill for code 90792 only once per year, per patient or once per episode of care, per patient.
4
If an intake assessment does not include medical services, it should be billed under code 90791 instead.
5
Headway providers spend less time on coding and more on patient care, thanks to our robust billing and claim support features.
CPT code 90792 description
Code 90792 represents an intake assessment performed by a provider who is qualified to administer medical services, like prescribing medication. It’s referred to as a “psychiatric diagnostic evaluation,” to distinguish it from a similar intake session performed by a counselor, therapist, or social worker.
This is is how the American Medical Association defines 90792 in the official CPT codebook:
CPT code 90792: Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation (with medical services)
Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with medical services is an integrated biopsychosocial and medical assessment, including history, mental status, other physical examination elements as indicated, and recommendations. The evaluation may include communication with family or other sources, prescription of medications, and review and ordering of laboratory or other diagnostic studies.
Because this code includes a medical assessment, insurance payers limit the licenses able to bill 90792. In behavioral health, code is most often used by providers with prescriptive authority, such as:
- Psychiatrists (MD)
- Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP)
Is 90792 the right code for an intake session?
Yes, code 90792 is commonly used for a psychiatric intake session that involves medical services. It’s available only to qualified prescribers, such as psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Prior authorization is often not required to bill this code, but policies vary by payer.
Your documentation for this code should include all the standard elements of an intake note, including:
- Session details: Including patient name and date of birth on every page, start and stop times, date, and place of service
- History of present illness
- Review of systems
- Biopsychosocial assessment
- Mental status exam (at least 5 elements)
- Risk assessment
- Documentation of any laboratory testing or diagnostic studies, with results and interpretation.
- Diagnosis and functional status
- Initial recommended course of treatment, including prescribing of medications and plan for next session
- Name, credentials and signature of provider who completed assessment within 72 hours of service
It’s important to use the code that most accurately reflects the time you spent with the patient to treat their condition, and ensure that documentation for the session supports the chosen code.
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CPT code 90792 time frame
- Is it time-based? No, 90792 is not associated with any specific time component
- Typical session length: Clinicians often spend 60 minutes or more conducting a full assessment
- Minimum documented time: Code 90792 is not a strictly time-based code, but it’s generally expected that a full assessment will take around 60 minutes.
CPT code 90792 reimbursement rates
Reimbursement rates for sessions billed with 90792 will vary depending on the plan, your contract, your location, and your license type.
Headway providers enjoy enhanced reimbursement rates, thanks to Headway’s partnerships with many of the nation’s top insurance plans. Headway providers, on average, earn roughly $27,000 more per year than they would through self-credentialing.
How often can CPT code 90792 be billed for one client?
Most payers will only reimburse 90792 once per year, per client. Some plans may cap it at once per episode of care, per client. If your client returns to treatment after a long gap, it may be appropriate to do a full re-evaluation and bill code 90792, almost as if you were seeing a new patient.
Code 90792 cannot be reported on the same day as an evaluation and management service for the same patient, so medical providers will need to choose which code best applies to the nature of the care.
Code 90792 cannot also be billed on the same day as psychotherapy services (including for crisis).
What’s the difference between 90792 and 90791?
Code 90792 is used for an intake assessment for care that includes medical services, such as ordering diagnostic work or prescribing medication. For this reason, 90792 can only be billed by a qualified medical clinician like a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner.
Psychiatrists and nurse practitioners may instead choose to bill medical services under evaluation and management codes (E/M), such as 99202 through 99205 and 99212 through 99215.
In contrast, code 90791 is used to represent an intake assessment for care that does not include medical services, and is typically the code billed for intake assessments conducted by licensed clinical social workers, professional counselors, or marriage and family therapists.
Should I bill 90792 or 99205 for a new patient?
Since both codes can be used for a first psychiatric appointment, consider the complexity, type, and duration of care provided to decide which is the best fit.
Code 99205 is reserved for a new patient appointment that is high-complexity and/or lasts at least 60 minutes. It also supports an add-on code for psychotherapy. So if your initial appointment with a new client involved psychotherapy or required a high level of medical decision-making, 99205 may be the code to use instead of 90792. Reimbursement rates are generally higher for code 99205, but do not use it unless all criteria are met.
The add-on code that can be used with CPT code 90792
Code 90792 may appear alongside one other CPT code. Code 90785 is used for sessions that involve interactive complexity. Here’s more information about how to use 90785 for interactive complexity.
Billing 90792 for telehealth sessions
You can bill code 90792 for a telehealth intake appointment, just as you would for an in-person session.
But when billing for virtual sessions, you have to include some additional information on your claim. Remember to select a place-of-service code to describe where the session took place. When meeting via synchronous telehealth, you’ll usually use either 02 (if the client is not joining from their home) or 10 (if the client is joining from their home). And don’t forget about the CPT modifier code 95, which is used for synchronous telehealth platforms such as HIPAA-compliant Zoom and Doximity.
Common mistakes when billing CPT code 90792
CPT code 90792 is often confused with code 90791. Code 90792 should only be used for evaluations that also include medical services, and as such may only be used by qualified providers such as psychiatrists and nurse practitioners.
Other common mistakes include failing to submit enough documentation to support use of code 90792. Make sure to thoroughly document the session details, patient history, assessments and diagnostics that took place, and your diagnosis and treatment plan. Headway’s documentation templates ensure that none of these crucial details slip through the cracks.
Remember, too, that CPT code 90792 is typically reimbursed only once per year, per patient and should not be used repeatedly.
This document is intended for educational purposes only. It is designed to facilitate compliance with payer requirements and applicable law, but please note that the applicable laws and requirements vary from payer to payer and state to state. Please check with your legal counsel or state licensing board for specific requirements.
FAQs about CPT code 90792
Is 90792 an E/M code?
No, 90792 is not an E/M code. It is the CPT code for a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation that includes medical services. Unlike an E/M code, 90792 is not tied to a specific length of time or medical complexity level, and it cannot be billed alongside codes for psychotherapy services.
Who can bill CPT code 90792?
Since code 90792 is used for intake appointments that include medical services, only prescribers — such as psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and physician assistants—can bill it. Eligibility may vary by payer and state, so always double check before using this code.
Can 90792 and 90833 be billed together?
No, code 90792 cannot be billed on the same day as a code for psychotherapy services, such as 90833. Code 90833 is an add-on for E/M codes.
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This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical, legal, financial, or professional advice. All decisions should be made at the discretion of the individual or organization, in consultation with qualified clinical, legal, or other appropriate professionals.
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Billing and coding
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Understand the ins and outs of CPT codes to help make documentation and billing more efficient — and give you more time to focus on other areas of your practice.