90840 — Psychotherapy for Crisis, Each Additional 30 minutes
Add-on code for crisis psychotherapy extending beyond the initial 60 minutes (90839). Billed for each additional 30-minute block. This is not a standalone code and must be billed with 90839.
Time Requirements
Each additional 30-minute block beyond the initial 90839. The additional period must be at least 16 minutes to bill another unit.
When to Use
- Crisis sessions extending beyond 74 minutes
- Prolonged crisis stabilization requiring additional time
- Extended safety planning or hospitalization coordination
When Not to Use
- As a standalone code — must be paired with 90839
- For the first 60 minutes of crisis therapy — use 90839
- Standard therapy that runs long — use 90837
Common Denial Reasons
- Billed without 90839 on the same claim
- Documentation does not justify continued crisis-level intervention beyond 60 minutes
- Multiple units billed without time documentation for each block
Payer Notes
Can be billed multiple times for extended crises. Each unit must be documented with time and continued crisis-level activity. Billing more than 2-3 units of 90840 (total session over 2.5 hours) will likely require strong documentation.
Related Codes
Frequently Asked Questions
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