CPT code 90836 designates an add-on psychotherapy service delivered alongside an evaluation and management (E/M) visit and typically spans 38–52 minutes. It captures clinician time spent providing psychotherapy techniques during the same session as an E/M service, and is used to bill the psychotherapy component distinct from the E/M visit. Nationally, accurate use of this code matters for correct clinical documentation, care coordination, and payment consistency for outpatient behavioral health services.

Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise review of the code’s clinical intent, common sites of service, and the billing context for combined visits. The publication also summarizes payer coverage considerations and typical payer-modifier interactions where available.

The report provides operational benchmarks for typical session length and coding practice, highlights policy and coding updates relevant to same-session psychotherapy plus E/M billing, and offers clinical context on when a time-based add-on psychotherapy code is appropriate. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.