Common CPT Codes Used in Psychological Testing

Disclaimer: CPT and HCPCS coding depends on medical necessity, documentation, payer rules, and the services actually provided. This page is for general education and is not a guarantee of coverage or payment.

When families review a superbill, statement, or Explanation of Benefits, one of the most common questions is: what do all of these codes mean? This page focuses on the main codes commonly used for psychological testing, developmental testing, and the feedback sessions that often follow testing. These services are billed by licensed clinicians such as LPs, T-LPs, LPAs, T-LPAs, and LPPs in Kentucky. We also plan to publish separate billing guides for therapy codes and medication management E/M codes so each service type has its own easier-to-read reference.

Psychological testing codes

Code	What it usually means	Typical billing pattern
90791	Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation / intake	Usually billed once at the start of care when a diagnostic interview is completed
96136	Test administration and scoring by a psychologist or other qualified professional, first 30 minutes	Usually the first unit for face-to-face testing time
96137	Each additional 30 minutes of test administration and scoring	Multiple units are commonly billed when testing extends beyond the first 30 minutes
96130	Testing evaluation services, first hour	Usually the first unit for clinical interpretation, record review, report writing, and feedback preparation
96131	Each additional hour of testing evaluation services	Multiple units are commonly billed when interpretation and reporting require more than the first hour

What these psychological testing codes cover

90791

Code 90791 is the diagnostic evaluation that helps establish the reason for referral, current symptoms, history, and the clinical questions the evaluation needs to answer. This visit often includes a detailed interview with the client and, when appropriate, a parent or caregiver.

For many evaluations, this code appears before formal testing begins because the intake helps determine which measures are medically necessary. Prior authorization is often requested after this intake when the insurance plan requires it.

96136 and 96137

Codes 96136 and 96137 are used for the administration and scoring portion of testing when that work is performed by the psychologist or another qualified health professional.

• 96136 covers the first 30 minutes
• 96137 covers each additional 30 minutes

This is why you may see more than one unit of 96137 on the same date of service. Longer evaluations often involve multiple tests, instructions, observations, clinician scoring, and transitions between measures, all of which can contribute to total billable administration time.

96130 and 96131

Codes 96130 and 96131 describe the professional work that happens outside the direct testing administration time, including:

• Reviewing records and referral information
• Integrating test results with history and clinical observations
• Interpreting findings
• Writing the report
• Preparing recommendations
• Preparing for the feedback appointment

In this code family:

• 96130 covers the first hour
• 96131 covers each additional hour

This is why you may see multiple units of 96131 when an evaluation is complex or requires extensive record review, interpretation, and written recommendations.

Developmental testing codes

Code	What it usually means	Typical billing pattern
96112	Developmental test administration, first hour	Usually the first unit for formal developmental testing
96113	Each additional 30 minutes of developmental test administration	Additional units are billed when developmental testing extends beyond the first hour

These codes are typically used for developmental testing, which is different from the psychological testing code family above. They are often relevant for younger children or cases where developmental functioning is the primary focus of the evaluation.

96112 and 96113

• 96112 covers the first hour of developmental test administration
• 96113 covers each additional 30 minutes

As with other timed codes, longer developmental assessments may result in multiple units of 96113.

Feedback session codes

Code	What it usually means	Typical billing pattern
90834	Psychotherapy, 45 minutes	Often used when the feedback session includes the patient
90846	Family psychotherapy without the patient present	Often used when feedback is provided to a parent or caregiver without the child present

The feedback session is usually billed separately as 90834 or 90846, depending on who is present, the clinical purpose of the visit, and payer rules. This is separate from the testing and report-writing work described by 96130 and 96131.

Why several codes can appear for one evaluation

A psychological evaluation is rarely a single-step service. One case may include:

1. An intake or diagnostic interview
2. Test administration and scoring
3. Interpretation and report writing
4. A feedback session with the client, parent, or caregiver

Those different parts are billed with different codes because they represent different kinds of professional work. Seeing several CPT codes on one claim does not necessarily mean duplicate billing; it often reflects the full process of the evaluation.

Coverage notes for developmental testing

One important distinction is that commercial insurance plans generally do not pay for developmental testing codes such as 96112 and 96113, while Kentucky Medicaid typically does cover them when the service is medically necessary and billed correctly.

Because coverage rules vary by payer, developmental testing is one of the clearest examples of why the same evaluation process may be billed differently depending on the insurance plan.

Medicaid note for clients under 18

For Medicaid clients under age 18, additional codes such as H0032 and 90846 may also appear when they are part of the medically necessary service package.

• H0032 is commonly used for treatment planning or service plan development
• 90846 is family psychotherapy without the patient present, which may be used for a parent or caregiver feedback session

These are not the primary psychological testing codes, but they can be part of the broader care process for children and adolescents depending on payer rules and the services provided.

What we will cover next

This page focuses only on psychological testing. We plan to add dedicated billing pages for:

• Therapy codes used for ongoing counseling visits
• Medication management E/M codes used for psychiatric prescribing visits

Until those guides are published, you can review our therapy services and medication management services pages for a general overview of those service lines.

Related resources

• Understanding Your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) — How to read the claim summary your insurance sends after processing
• Understanding Health Insurance: Deductibles, copays, eligibility, and Benefits — A broader look at coverage types and plan rules
• Psychological Evaluations — Overview of evaluation services at Twilight Psychology
• Contact — Reach out if you want help understanding a recent statement or claim