Guide Your Behavioral Health Organization With Behavioral Health Billing and Coding Cheat Sheet for 2026
Behavioral health telehealth and telemental health services have been widely supported by the federal government, state Medicaid agencies, and private payers. You can find state-specific information on Medicaid telehealth reimbursement at the Center for Connected Health Policy with interactive policy trend maps.
Tip: Before each appointment, check the patient’s private insurance policy or ask them to confirm their coverage for telehealth for behavioral health.
Behavioral Health Coding Cheat Sheet
Medicare coding guidance The following behavioral health CPT codes cheat sheet 2026 are used to bill for telehealth for behavioral health and telemental health services under the current Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS).
Behavioral Health Telehealth Codes from Medicare
Telehealth codes for Medicare reimbursement for behavioral health telehealth Medicare pays for audio and video telehealth services and showcases how to bill 90837 telehealth
| Category | Telehealth CPT codes | Audio-only Reimbursed |
|---|---|---|
| Aphasia and cognitive assessment | 96105, 96125 | No |
| Behavioral screening | 96127 | Yes |
| Diagnostic evaluation | 90791, 90792 | Yes |
| Psychotherapy | 90832, 90833, 90834, 90836, 90837, 90838 | Yes |
| Psychoanalysis | 90845 | Yes |
| Group psychotherapy | 90853 | Yes |
| Family psychotherapy | 90846, 90847 | Yes |
| Psychological and neurobehavioral testing or status exam | 96116, 96121, 96130, 96131, 96132, 96133, 96136, 96137, 96138, 96139 | No |
| Crisis intervention and interactive complexity | 90839, 90840, 90785 | Yes |
| Speech-language behavioral analysis | 92524 | No |
| Psychological evaluation | 96130, 96131 | Yes |
| Neuropsychological evaluation | 96132, 96133 | Yes |
| Health behavior assessment | 96156, 96160, 96161 | Yes |
| Health behavior intervention, individual | 96158, 96159 | Yes |
| Health behavior intervention, group | 96164, 96165 | Yes |
| Health behavior intervention, family with patient | 96167, 96168 | Yes |
| Developmental screening and testing Adaptive behavior assessment | 96112, 96113 97151, 97152, 0362T | No |
| Adaptive behavior treatment | 97153, 97154, 97155, 97156, 97157, 97158, 0373T | No |
| Therapeutic interventions | 97129, 97130 | No |
| Therapeutic interventions (group) | 97150 | No |
| Smoking and tobacco use counseling | 99406, 99407 | Yes |
| Obesity counseling | G0447 | Yes |
| Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment | G0396, G0397, G0442, G0443, G0444, G0445, G0446 | Yes |
| Opioid use disorder treatment | G2086, G2087, G2088 | Yes |
Behavioral Health Telehealth Non-Covered Services
Non-covered services These telebehavioral health services are not eligible for Medicare reimbursement.
| Category | Telehealth CPT codes |
|---|---|
| Developmental screening and testing | 96110 |
| Health behavior intervention, family without patient | 96170, 96171 |
| Psychophysiological therapy | 90875 |
Behavioral Health Telehealth Guidelines for Private Insurances (commercial payers)
Private insurance The COVID-19 public health emergency prompted changes CPT codes for mental health telemedicine including specific codes for audio-only or video-only visits. It is important to note that most states have different reimbursement standards for permanent telehealth policies and temporary COVID-19 policies. To learn how to code private insurance claims, check out these resources:
Current State Laws & Reimbursement Policies exit disclaimer icon (Private Payer Laws) — from the National Policy Center – Center for Connected Health Policy Coding Scenarios for telehealth visits exit disclaimer icon (by payer policy) — from the American Academy of Family Physicians
Medicaid Each state has its own policies for behavioral health telehealth and telemental health coverage, but many have expanded their coverage during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Many states currently align with Medicare’s telebehavioral and telemental health coverage.
To see which telehealth for behavioral health and telemental health services Medicaid covers in your state, check the current laws and reimbursement policies
Frequently Asked Questions
Practices often struggle with understanding payer rules, handling claim denials, ensuring compliance, and maintaining accurate documentation.
For telehealth billing, you need to obtain informed consent, document the session properly, and use the correct CPT codes.
Yes, telehealth services have specific CPT codes that differ from those for in-person visits, so it’s vital to use the right ones for accurate billing.
To appeal a denial, gather all relevant documentation, including treatment records and authorization forms. Submit a detailed appeal letter addressing the insurer's denial reasons, and include any additional information that supports the necessity of the services provided.
