Summary & Overview
CPT 92583: Pediatric Hearing Screen Using Picture Selection
CPT code 92583 represents a pediatric hearing screening performed with picture-selection responses, typically used for children as young as three years old. This brief, developmentally appropriate test evaluates a child’s ability to detect and identify sounds by asking the child to point to or select pictures that match auditory stimuli. Nationally, the code matters because early identification of hearing issues in young children supports timely intervention that can affect speech, language, and educational outcomes.
Key payers in common coverage discussions include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of the clinical context for the service and what to expect in terms of settings where the screening is delivered. The publication summarizes common modifiers associated with billing for this type of service and identifies where data is available or absent. It also outlines benchmarks and policy-relevant points to help readers understand reimbursement framing, coding clarity, and how this screening fits into pediatric preventive care pathways. The content is oriented for payers, practice managers, and clinicians involved in pediatric audiology and primary care who need a concise reference for coding and service context.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 92583 describes a hearing screening for a child as young as three years of age in which the provider assesses auditory function by having the child select pictures that correspond with sounds. This service is a developmental hearing screening used to evaluate a young child's ability to detect and identify sounds using age-appropriate, picture-based responses.
-
Service type: Hearing screening using picture-pointing responses (developmental pediatric hearing screen)
-
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic or office setting where pediatric hearing screens are provided, including audiology and pediatric practices.
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a developmentally appropriate child aged three years or older brought to a pediatric audiology clinic, primary care office, or early intervention center by a caregiver for a hearing screening due to concerns about speech delay, inconsistent response to sounds, routine preschool screening, or history of otitis media. The child is escorted to a quiet testing room where a speech-language pathologist or audiologist explains the picture-pointing task to the caregiver and child. Using age-appropriate recorded speech stimuli or live-voice prompting, the provider presents sounds and asks the child to select or point to pictures that correspond to the target words. Responses are documented as pass or fail for each ear; if screening suggests hearing loss, the workflow proceeds to diagnostic audiometry, otologic examination, and referral to ENT or early intervention services. Typical sites of service include an outpatient audiology clinic, pediatric office, school-based health center, or early intervention clinic. Common encounter details include brief behavioral observation, stimulus presentation, response verification, and documentation of screening results in the medical record.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Service typically provided by the physician | When the screening is personally performed by the primary billing practitioner and no unusual circumstances apply. |