M1351 Suicide Safety Plan HCPCS Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

HCPCS M1351: Suicide Safety Plan Initiation and Follow-up

HCPCS Level II code M1351 designates initiation, review, or update of a suicide safety plan in collaboration with the patient and clinician, with a required review within 120 days of initiation. This code captures a focused behavioral health intervention intended to reduce immediate suicide risk and document ongoing safety planning activity tied to a clinical encounter. Nationally, accurate use of this code supports coordination of care across outpatient behavioral health, primary care behavioral health integration, and emergency services, and informs quality measurement and resource allocation for suicide prevention efforts. Key payers in scope include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find benchmarks and coding guidance context, payer coverage considerations, clinical context for when the code applies, and operational notes on documentation timing and encounter alignment. The publication also outlines policy-relevant points that affect billing and quality tracking for suicide prevention services, and highlights practical implications for clinical documentation, care coordination, and follow-up scheduling. Data not available in the input is noted where specific payer policy details, associated taxonomies, and ICD-10 linkage would typically be listed.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareM1351HCPCS Level IIsuicide safety planbehavioral healthrisk mitigationoutpatientemergency departmentquality measurementcare coordination

Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code M1351 documents that a suicide safety plan was initiated, reviewed, or updated in collaboration with the patient and their clinician either concurrent with or within 24 hours of a clinical encounter, and that the plan was reviewed and updated within 120 days after initiation. The service type is behavioral health safety planning and follow-up case management focused on suicide risk mitigation. The typical site of service includes outpatient behavioral health clinics, primary care behavioral health integrations, emergency departments, and other clinical settings where suicide risk assessment and safety planning occur.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 32-year-old patient presents to an outpatient behavioral health clinic for follow-up after initial psychiatric intake that identified active suicidal ideation with intent. The patient is seen by a licensed clinical social worker or psychiatrist for a scheduled or urgent visit. During the encounter the clinician conducts a structured safety assessment, collaborates with the patient to create or update a written suicide safety plan, and reviews crisis contacts, means restriction, warning signs, coping strategies, and follow-up care. The safety plan is reviewed with the patient during the visit and documented in the chart; the plan is subsequently reviewed again within 24 hours (by phone or secure message) or updated jointly within 120 days if clinical change warrants. Typical workflow steps: intake or triage identifies risk → clinician completes risk assessment and engages patient in collaborative safety planning → plan is documented and provided to the patient (printed or electronic) → clinician arranges follow-up, notifies supports as appropriate, and documents any 24-hour or 120-day review/update.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when the time, intensity, or complexity of safety planning is substantially greater than typical and properly documented.
`23`

HCPCS M1396: Patients on a Therapeutic Clinical Trial

HCPCS-M1257-CVD-RISK-ASSESSMENT-NOT-PERFORMED-OR-INCOMPLETE

HCPCS Level II M1257: CVD Risk Assessment Not Performed or Incomplete

HCPCS-M1265-CMS-MEDICAL-EVIDENCE-FORM-2728-INITIAL

HCPCS M1265: CMS Medical Evidence Form 2728, Initial Completion

HCPCS-M1343-PAM-LEVEL-4-OR-INVALID-RESPONSE-ASSESSMENT

HCPCS M1343: Assessment for PAM Level 4 or Invalid PAM Responses

HCPCS-M1408-GERMLINE-BRCA-TESTING-BEFORE-OVARIAN-CANCER-DIAGNOSIS

HCPCS M1408: Germline BRCA Testing Before Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

HCPCS-M1317-COUNSELING-CSP-CONNECTION-OPT-OUT

HCPCS M1317: Counseling on Community Service Provider Connection, Patient Opt-Out

HCPCS-M1186-HOSPICE-PALLIATIVE-CARE-ORDER-OR-RECEIVING

HCPCS Level II M1186: Hospice or Palliative Care Order/Receiving

HCPCS-M1299-INFLUENZA-IMMUNIZATION-ADMINISTERED-OR-PREVIOUSLY-RECEIVED

HCPCS M1299: Influenza Immunization Administered or Previously Received

HCPCS-M1476-COGNITIVE-IMPAIRMENT-ALZHEIMERS-CARE

HCPCS M1476: Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease Services

HCPCS-M1367-ENT-QUALITY-CARE-MIPS-VALUE-PATHWAY

HCPCS M1367: Quality Care for ENT Disorders MIPS Value Pathway

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`101Y00000X`	Psychiatry	Psychiatrists commonly initiate and review suicide safety plans during clinical encounters.
`261QM0800X`	Mental Health Counselor	Licensed professional counselors frequently perform collaborative safety planning in outpatient settings.
`1041C0700X`	Clinical Social Worker	Clinical social workers commonly complete and document safety plans and follow-up reviews.
`103T00000X`	Psychologist	Psychologists provide assessment and development of safety plans during therapy visits.
`363L00000X`	Emergency Medicine	Emergency clinicians may initiate or update safety plans during ED visits prior to discharge.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`F32.0`	Mild depressive episode	Depression frequently co-occurs with suicidal ideation and prompts safety planning.
`F32.1`	Moderate depressive episode	Moderate depression increases suicide risk and warrants formal safety planning.
`F33.1`	Major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate	Recurrent depressive disorders often necessitate documented safety plans.
`F41.1`	Generalized anxiety disorder	Anxiety disorders can exacerbate suicidal ideation and are relevant to planning coping strategies.
`F43.20`	Adjustment disorder, unspecified	Acute stressors and adjustment disorders may trigger suicidal thoughts requiring a safety plan.
`R45.851`	Suicidal ideation	Directly indicates the clinical reason for initiating, reviewing, or updating a suicide safety plan.
`F31.3`	Bipolar disorder, current episode depressed, moderate	Mood disorders with depressive episodes carry suicide risk and are common contexts for this service.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`90832`	Psychotherapy, 30 minutes with patient	Often used for brief psychotherapy visits during which a safety plan may be initiated or reviewed.
`90791`	Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation (no medical services)	Used at initial diagnostic evaluations where suicide risk is identified and a safety plan may be created.
`90839`	Psychotherapy for crisis, first 60 minutes	Used when the encounter involves crisis intervention and intensive safety planning.
`99406`	Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling, intermediate	Data not available in the input.
`99407`	Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling, intensive	Data not available in the input.

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