Is 90834 the default code for a 45-minute session?

Yes, when the face-to-face therapeutic time is 38 to 52 minutes.

Can I bill 90834 with the interactive complexity add-on?

Yes. 90785 rides on 90834 when the session meets the criteria, common with young children.

What if the family shows up 15 minutes late?

Bill the minutes you actually spent; a 30-minute session becomes 90832.

CPT code

90834: Psychotherapy, 45 minutes

90834 is the standard individual session for most child and teen therapy: 38 to 52 minutes of face-to-face psychotherapy. It is the code most Emora therapists bill most weeks.

Kind: CPT code
Family: individual
Time: 38 to 52 minutes
Who bills: Therapists, Psychologists, Associates
Telehealth: Eligible
Add-on: Stands alone

When to use it

Use it when the therapeutic time runs 38 to 52 minutes. A 45-minute session with a five-minute parent hand-off at the end is a 90834 with the child as identified patient.

When not to

Do not bill 90834 for a session under 38 minutes (that is 90832) or at 53 minutes and above (that is 90837). Do not include documentation time or the wait for a family to join.

With children and families

With children the 45-minute block often splits into child time and a short parent segment. Both count when the parent is present for the child's therapeutic work. If most of the session is with the parent and the child is not present, use 90846. Note who joined and from where; a teen on a phone in a car and a parent at home is a common telehealth setup worth recording.

Questions about 90834

Is 90834 the default code for a 45-minute session?: Yes, when the face-to-face therapeutic time is 38 to 52 minutes.
Can I bill 90834 with the interactive complexity add-on?: Yes. 90785 rides on 90834 when the session meets the criteria, common with young children.
What if the family shows up 15 minutes late?: Bill the minutes you actually spent; a 30-minute session becomes 90832.

CPT codes for child and family therapy: 90791, 90837, 90847, 9084690791, 90832, 90834, 90837, 90846, 90847 and the add-ons, with the child and family rules: who the identified patient is, when a parent-only session is billable, time bands, modifier 95, and place of service 10.3 min read

Code	What it is	Time	Who bills	Telehealth
90785	Interactive complexity add-on		Therapists, Psychologists, Associates	Yes
90847	Family psychotherapy with the patient present	50 min	Therapists, Psychologists, Associates	Yes
90832	Psychotherapy, 30 minutes	16 to 37 min	Therapists, Psychologists, Associates	Yes
90837	Psychotherapy, 60 minutes	60 min	Therapists, Psychologists, Associates	Yes

General information for licensed clinicians, not billing advice. Insurers reimburse each code differently and payer contracts control; Emora handles the billing.

Bring your license. We bring the families.

Apply to Emora Health. You see your per-session pay inside the application, before any call, and you hear back within 48 hours. Less than 7% of applicants are accepted.

Apply to Emora Health How pay works