How many minutes is 90837?

53 minutes or more of psychotherapy time. Sessions of 38 to 52 minutes are 90834.

Why do insurers audit 90837?

90837 pays more than 90834, and many “hour” sessions actually run 45 to 50 minutes. Payers look for clinicians who bill 90837 for nearly every session, then check notes for start and stop times and a reason for the longer session.

Can I bill 90837 for telehealth?

Yes, where the payer covers telehealth psychotherapy. Add modifier 95 (or GT where required) and the place of service the payer wants, often 10 for a client at home.

Can I bill 90837 for a crisis session?

If the session was a psychotherapy crisis (urgent assessment and de-escalation), use 90839 for the first 30 to 74 minutes and 90840 for each additional 30 minutes instead.

CPT code reference for therapists

CPT 90837: 60-minute psychotherapy

90837 is the code for a psychotherapy session of about an hour: 53 minutes or more with the client. It pays more than 90834, which is why payers watch it more closely.

Prescribers who also do an E/M service in the same visit bill the add-on 90838 instead.

Updated October 5, 2026

What it is: Individual psychotherapy, about 60 minutes
Time: 53 minutes or more
38 to 52 minutes: Use 90834
With an E/M visit: 90838 (prescribers)

When to use 90837

A psychotherapy session where you spent at least 53 minutes with the client.
Clinically, sessions where the longer time was needed: trauma processing, EMDR, complex presentations, or a client in an acute period.

Time rules

Count face-to-face (or live video) psychotherapy time with the client and any family members present. Scheduling, note writing and calls with other providers don’t count.
The session has to reach 53 minutes. A 50-minute “therapy hour” is a 90834.
There’s no separate code for an extended psychotherapy session in the 90832–90837 series; very long sessions are still one 90837 unless the payer has its own rule.

Code	Described as	Bill when the session ran
90832	30 minutes	16 to 37 minutes
90834	45 minutes	38 to 52 minutes
90837	60 minutes	53 minutes or more

Choosing between the two? See 90834 vs 90837.

What to document

Start and stop times. Payers that review 90837 look for them first.
Why the longer session was clinically needed, in a sentence.
Interventions used and the client’s response; progress toward treatment plan goals.
Symptoms, mental status and risk assessment when indicated, and the plan.

Billing rules and common denials

Some commercial payers review clinicians who bill 90837 for most of their sessions. Bill it when the session really ran 53 minutes or more, and document why.
Don’t bill 90837 with 90791 on the same day for the same client.
Add-on 90785 can go with 90837 when interactive complexity applied.
For telehealth, payers differ: Medicare uses place of service 10 or 02, while many commercial plans want the in-person place of service (usually 11) with modifier 95. Check each payer’s telehealth policy.

Telehealth modifiers

95: Live (synchronous) video visit. The modifier most commercial plans and Medicaid programs ask for.
GT: Older “via interactive audio and video” modifier. A few payers and some institutional claims still want it instead of 95.
93: Audio-only (phone) visit, where the payer covers it. Some payers ask for FQ instead.

Add-on 90785 (interactive complexity) can be billed with this code when communication was made harder by something like an interpreter, a third party or caregivers in conflict.

Typical place of service codes

11: Office. The usual in-person place of service for private practice.
10: Telehealth with the client in their home.
02: Telehealth with the client somewhere other than home (work, car, a clinic).
12: In person at the client’s home.
03: School.
53: Community mental health center.

Common questions

How many minutes is 90837?: 53 minutes or more of psychotherapy time. Sessions of 38 to 52 minutes are 90834.
Why do insurers audit 90837?: 90837 pays more than 90834, and many “hour” sessions actually run 45 to 50 minutes. Payers look for clinicians who bill 90837 for nearly every session, then check notes for start and stop times and a reason for the longer session.
Can I bill 90837 for telehealth?: Yes, where the payer covers telehealth psychotherapy. Add modifier 95 (or GT where required) and the place of service the payer wants, often 10 for a client at home.
Can I bill 90837 for a crisis session?: If the session was a psychotherapy crisis (urgent assessment and de-escalation), use 90839 for the first 30 to 74 minutes and 90840 for each additional 30 minutes instead.

CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. This page summarizes common billing practice in plain language and isn’t billing or legal advice; payer policies vary, so check each payer’s current rules.