Psychological and neuropsychological testing services utilize diagnostic tests when mental illness or brain dysfunction is suspected, and clarification is essential for the diagnosis and treatment. This family of codes was recently revised and extensive changes went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Codes for Psychologists
Psychological Tele-Assessment
- How to do psychological testing via telehealth
New APA guidance offers six principles for conducting tele-assessments while social distancing. - Guidance on psychological tele-assessment during the COVID-19 crisis
Teleneuropsychology
- Teleneuropsychology: New resources for your practice
Guidance on CPT codes, technical requirements and more for successfully providing neuropsychology services via telehealth.
2019 Changes to Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Codes
As of Jan. 1, 2019, practitioners will need to use the new billing codes for Medicare and all insurance carriers. The list is intended to familiarize you with specific testing coding changes and will be helpful for updating your billing and claims processing systems.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have released the final rule on the 2019 Medicare fee schedule. Below you will find a descriptors list, similar to the above document, that contains the 2019 Total Non-Facility RVU values and the 2019 Conversion Factor.
Given the new modernized coding structure that more accurately describes the work required when multiple hours of technical and professional services are performed, APA has developed three separate crosswalks between the current (2018) testing codes and the corresponding new codes to be used in 2019. These PDFs are intended to assist psychologists as they make the transition.
New 2019 Implementation Resources
- Updated guidance on billing and coding (August 2019)
- 2019 Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Billing and Coding Guide
- Webinar series on testing codes: A series of pre-recorded mini webinars from May 2019 on billing and documentation updates.
Additional Resources
- Slides (PDF, 494KB) and webinar for the Dec. 21 webinar, Getting Reimbursed: Ask the testing code experts.
- On Dec. 5, Antonio Puente, PhD, and Neil Pliskin, PhD, continued discussion of the upcoming changes to the Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Codes for 2019. This webinar focused on how to document your work as well as introduce the new code values and payment structure.
- An updated list of the most frequently asked questions regarding the 2019 Testing Codes (PDF, 419KB).
- Understanding Medicare’s Facility Fee Reduction (PDF, 495KB).
- The November webinar was specially aimed at insurers to help them understand the code changes.
- Up To Code: An article providing guidance on how to use the new codes.
- The recording from our October webinar — Getting Reimbursed: Testing code changes are here on the specific codes, descriptions and practical examples.
- Slides from the Oct. 24, 2018, webinar on testing code changes (PDF, 635KB).
- Up to code: Examining the new testing codes: Get answers to your questions about the new CPT® codes for psychological and neuropsychological testing services.
News on the 2019 Testing Codes
- Reminder: New psychological and neuropsychological codes in effect
Use the new billing codes to get reimbursed for testing services. - A letter from the APA Practice Organization (PDF, 60KB) sent Sept. 10, 2018 to Seema Verma, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, commented on the proposed rule on the 2019 Medicare physician fee schedule released on July 12, 2018.
- APA wins increased reimbursement rates for psychological testing.
For help with questions about or billing problems related to the revised testing codes, contact the APA Practice Directorate's Government Relations Department at (202) 336-5889
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Date created: December 2018