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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01

90837 in Merced

Office / nonfacility

$172.69

Base rate per service

Facility setting

$137.91

Base rate per service

Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.

Psychiatry

About 90837: Individual psychotherapy, 60 minutes, without E/M

Individual psychotherapy lasting at least 53 minutes is reported with 90837 when the clinician provides the patient's therapy without reporting an E/M service.

This extended individual psychotherapy session uses therapeutic techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive therapy, or trauma-focused work to treat a mental health or substance use condition. The clinician works with the patient; a family member or caregiver may participate when the focus remains the patient's individual treatment. Psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors may furnish the service in offices, outpatient settings, or eligible telehealth encounters.

Select 90837 when documented psychotherapy time reaches at least 53 minutes; shorter individual sessions may qualify for 90834 or 90832. Record the psychotherapy time, therapeutic approach, patient's response, and progress toward treatment goals. Do not count scheduling, documentation, or separately reported E/M work as psychotherapy time. If the same clinician also reports an E/M service, report the psychotherapy portion with add-on 90838 rather than 90837. CMS assigns 3.78 work RVUs; its office practice expense RVU is higher than its facility practice expense RVU, so place of service affects payment.

Where the value comes from

  • Work RVU3.78 · 76%
  • Practice expense (office) RVU1.20 · 24%
  • Malpractice RVU0.02 · 0%

6.9M

Medicare services in 2024 · #30 by national volume

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

90837 compared with similar codes

Office rates for Merced, from the same CMS release.

90834

Psychotherapy session

45 minutes, without E/M

$117.70

Choose by documented psychotherapy time: at least 53 minutes supports 90837, while 38 to 52 minutes supports 90834. A 50-minute session does not meet the threshold for 90837.

90838

Psychotherapy

With E/M, 60 minutes

$139.93

90838 is the psychotherapy add-on paired with an E/M code when the same clinician provides at least 53 minutes of psychotherapy and reports E/M. Report 90837 for the psychotherapy session without that clinician's E/M service.

90839

Crisis psychotherapy

Initial 60 minutes

$165.71

90839 describes urgent crisis assessment and intervention. Select 90837 for individual psychotherapy that meets its time threshold when the encounter is not crisis psychotherapy.

90847

Family therapy

Patient present, 50 minutes

$112.15

90847 is family psychotherapy with the patient present and family interactions as the treatment focus. Report 90837 when treatment focuses on the individual patient, even if a family member participates.

The same code, a different location

How does Merced compare?

In Bakersfield, the office rate for 90837 is $172.99—$0.30 higher than the $172.69 rate in Merced. Both use the same code, release and participation basis.

90837 across payment areas

Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0

  1. Merced · This locality

    $172.69

  2. Bakersfield

    $172.99

    $0.30 higher than Merced

  3. Chico

    $172.69

    The same base rate than Merced

  4. El Centro

    $172.69

    The same base rate than Merced

  5. Fresno

    $172.69

    The same base rate than Merced

  6. Hanford-Corcoran

    $172.69

    The same base rate than Merced

  7. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty)

    $179.29

    $6.60 higher than Merced

Other payment areas listed in California appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.

Across 109 of 109 CMS payment localities with a supported office rate, 90837 ranges from $161.03 in Arkansas to $232.44 in Alaska*. This is a geographic range, not an average.

The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.

Compare all 108 other payment areas

  • Madera

    California · 90837

    Office

    $172.69

    Facility

    $137.91

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Modesto

    California · 90837

    Office

    $172.69

    Facility

    $137.91

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Napa

    California · 90837

    Office

    $187.38

    Facility

    $145.55

    $14.69 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

    California · 90837

    Office

    $177.58

    Facility

    $140.08

    $4.89 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Redding

    California · 90837

    Office

    $172.69

    Facility

    $137.91

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of California

    California · 90837

    Office

    $172.69

    Facility

    $137.91

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

    California · 90837

    Office

    $173.03

    Facility

    $138.25

    $0.34 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

    California · 90837

    Office

    $177.77

    Facility

    $140.87

    $5.08 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Salinas

    California · 90837

    Office

    $176.98

    Facility

    $140.21

    $4.29 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad

    California · 90837

    Office

    $178.34

    Facility

    $140.39

    $5.65 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)

    California · 90837

    Office

    $195.07

    Facility

    $150.33

    $22.38 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)

    California · 90837

    Office

    $195.05

    Facility

    $150.31

    $22.36 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)

    California · 90837

    Office

    $198.30

    Facility

    $152.54

    $25.61 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)

    California · 90837

    Office

    $198.21

    Facility

    $152.45

    $25.52 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

    California · 90837

    Office

    $174.41

    Facility

    $138.27

    $1.72 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville

    California · 90837

    Office

    $177.96

    Facility

    $139.41

    $5.27 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

    California · 90837

    Office

    $176.88

    Facility

    $139.88

    $4.19 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Rosa-Petaluma

    California · 90837

    Office

    $179.62

    Facility

    $140.66

    $6.93 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Stockton

    California · 90837

    Office

    $172.69

    Facility

    $137.91

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Vallejo

    California · 90837

    Office

    $187.34

    Facility

    $145.52

    $14.65 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Visalia

    California · 90837

    Office

    $172.69

    Facility

    $137.91

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Yuba City

    California · 90837

    Office

    $172.69

    Facility

    $137.91

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Dc + Md/Va Suburbs

    District of Columbia · 90837

    Office

    $181.03

    Facility

    $143.65

    $8.34 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Miami

    Florida · 90837

    Office

    $169.67

    Facility

    $136.64

    $3.02 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Chicago

    Illinois · 90837

    Office

    $168.95

    Facility

    $137.06

    $3.74 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Manhattan

    New York · 90837

    Office

    $181.97

    Facility

    $145.10

    $9.28 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Alaska*

    Alaska · 90837

    Office

    $232.44

    Facility

    $198.64

    $59.75 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Alabama

    Alabama · 90837

    Office

    $161.70

    Facility

    $133.94

    $10.99 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Arkansas

    Arkansas · 90837

    Office

    $161.03

    Facility

    $133.77

    $11.66 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Arizona

    Arizona · 90837

    Office

    $165.67

    Facility

    $134.92

    $7.02 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Colorado

    Colorado · 90837

    Office

    $170.94

    Facility

    $137.18

    $1.75 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Connecticut

    Connecticut · 90837

    Office

    $172.76

    Facility

    $138.58

    $0.07 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Delaware

    Delaware · 90837

    Office

    $167.09

    Facility

    $135.74

    $5.60 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Fort Lauderdale

    Florida · 90837

    Office

    $168.07

    Facility

    $135.92

    $4.62 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Florida

    Florida · 90837

    Office

    $165.58

    Facility

    $135.24

    $7.11 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Atlanta

    Georgia · 90837

    Office

    $168.16

    Facility

    $135.92

    $4.53 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Georgia

    Georgia · 90837

    Office

    $162.80

    Facility

    $134.50

    $9.89 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Hawaii, Guam

    Hawaii · 90837

    Office

    $172.21

    Facility

    $136.14

    $0.48 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Iowa

    Iowa · 90837

    Office

    $163.19

    Facility

    $134.16

    $9.50 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Idaho

    Idaho · 90837

    Office

    $163.45

    Facility

    $134.25

    $9.24 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • East St. Louis

    Illinois · 90837

    Office

    $164.48

    Facility

    $135.28

    $8.21 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Illinois

    Illinois · 90837

    Office

    $163.89

    Facility

    $134.92

    $8.80 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Suburban Chicago

    Illinois · 90837

    Office

    $169.49

    Facility

    $136.90

    $3.20 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Indiana

    Indiana · 90837

    Office

    $163.74

    Facility

    $134.32

    $8.95 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Kansas

    Kansas · 90837

    Office

    $162.83

    Facility

    $134.14

    $9.86 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Kentucky

    Kentucky · 90837

    Office

    $162.50

    Facility

    $134.29

    $10.19 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Orleans

    Louisiana · 90837

    Office

    $164.73

    Facility

    $134.87

    $7.96 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Louisiana

    Louisiana · 90837

    Office

    $162.37

    Facility

    $134.29

    $10.32 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Boston

    Massachusetts · 90837

    Office

    $179.88

    Facility

    $142.00

    $7.19 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Massachusetts

    Massachusetts · 90837

    Office

    $171.01

    Facility

    $137.60

    $1.68 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Baltimore/Surr. Cntys

    Maryland · 90837

    Office

    $172.11

    Facility

    $138.06

    $0.58 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maryland

    Maryland · 90837

    Office

    $168.69

    Facility

    $136.58

    $4.00 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maine

    Maine · 90837

    Office

    $163.55

    Facility

    $134.35

    $9.14 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Southern Maine

    Maine · 90837

    Office

    $166.40

    Facility

    $134.95

    $6.29 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Detroit

    Michigan · 90837

    Office

    $166.06

    Facility

    $135.44

    $6.63 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Michigan

    Michigan · 90837

    Office

    $163.60

    Facility

    $134.63

    $9.09 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Minnesota

    Minnesota · 90837

    Office

    $167.70

    Facility

    $135.05

    $4.99 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Kansas City

    Missouri · 90837

    Office

    $164.54

    Facility

    $134.75

    $8.15 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan St. Louis

    Missouri · 90837

    Office

    $165.08

    Facility

    $134.87

    $7.61 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Missouri

    Missouri · 90837

    Office

    $161.46

    Facility

    $134.10

    $11.23 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi · 90837

    Office

    $161.26

    Facility

    $133.94

    $11.43 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Montana**

    Montana · 90837

    Office

    $167.00

    Facility

    $135.27

    $5.69 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • North Carolina

    North Carolina · 90837

    Office

    $164.08

    Facility

    $134.47

    $8.61 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • North Dakota**

    North Dakota · 90837

    Office

    $166.61

    Facility

    $134.88

    $6.08 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nebraska

    Nebraska · 90837

    Office

    $163.50

    Facility

    $134.22

    $9.19 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Hampshire

    New Hampshire · 90837

    Office

    $168.56

    Facility

    $135.53

    $4.13 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Northern Nj

    New Jersey · 90837

    Office

    $181.42

    Facility

    $144.61

    $8.73 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New Jersey

    New Jersey · 90837

    Office

    $175.81

    Facility

    $141.16

    $3.12 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Mexico

    New Mexico · 90837

    Office

    $163.81

    Facility

    $134.71

    $8.88 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nevada**

    Nevada · 90837

    Office

    $166.93

    Facility

    $135.17

    $5.76 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nyc Suburbs/Long Island

    New York · 90837

    Office

    $183.23

    Facility

    $145.50

    $10.54 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs

    New York · 90837

    Office

    $176.63

    Facility

    $141.89

    $3.94 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Queens

    New York · 90837

    Office

    $182.67

    Facility

    $145.17

    $9.98 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New York

    New York · 90837

    Office

    $164.80

    Facility

    $134.66

    $7.89 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Ohio

    Ohio · 90837

    Office

    $163.52

    Facility

    $134.55

    $9.17 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Oklahoma

    Oklahoma · 90837

    Office

    $162.57

    Facility

    $134.23

    $10.12 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Portland

    Oregon · 90837

    Office

    $173.30

    Facility

    $138.05

    $0.61 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Oregon

    Oregon · 90837

    Office

    $166.65

    Facility

    $135.04

    $6.04 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Philadelphia

    Pennsylvania · 90837

    Office

    $171.05

    Facility

    $138.02

    $1.64 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania · 90837

    Office

    $163.68

    Facility

    $134.55

    $9.01 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico · 90837

    Office

    $167.44

    Facility

    $135.36

    $5.25 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rhode Island

    Rhode Island · 90837

    Office

    $170.65

    Facility

    $137.88

    $2.04 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • South Carolina

    South Carolina · 90837

    Office

    $163.86

    Facility

    $134.54

    $8.83 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • South Dakota**

    South Dakota · 90837

    Office

    $166.56

    Facility

    $134.83

    $6.13 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Tennessee

    Tennessee · 90837

    Office

    $163.05

    Facility

    $134.20

    $9.64 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Austin

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $169.51

    Facility

    $135.93

    $3.18 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Beaumont

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $163.35

    Facility

    $134.47

    $9.34 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Brazoria

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $167.51

    Facility

    $136.06

    $5.18 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Dallas

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $167.89

    Facility

    $136.28

    $4.80 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Fort Worth

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $167.49

    Facility

    $136.21

    $5.20 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Galveston

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $167.62

    Facility

    $136.11

    $5.07 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Houston

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $167.99

    Facility

    $136.48

    $4.70 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Texas

    Texas · 90837

    Office

    $164.90

    Facility

    $134.78

    $7.79 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Utah

    Utah · 90837

    Office

    $164.53

    Facility

    $134.70

    $8.16 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Virginia

    Virginia · 90837

    Office

    $166.13

    Facility

    $134.94

    $6.56 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Virgin Islands

    United States Virgin Islands · 90837

    Office

    $167.44

    Facility

    $135.36

    $5.25 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Vermont

    Vermont · 90837

    Office

    $166.27

    Facility

    $134.86

    $6.42 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Washington

    Washington · 90837

    Office

    $170.61

    Facility

    $137.20

    $2.08 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Seattle (King Cnty)

    Washington · 90837

    Office

    $182.29

    Facility

    $143.36

    $9.60 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Wisconsin

    Wisconsin · 90837

    Office

    $164.86

    Facility

    $134.46

    $7.83 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • West Virginia

    West Virginia · 90837

    Office

    $162.04

    Facility

    $134.47

    $10.65 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Wyoming**

    Wyoming · 90837

    Office

    $166.83

    Facility

    $135.10

    $5.86 lower than Merced for the office setting.

See how rates vary across the country

90837 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$161.03

$232.44

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View all state and territory rates as a table
State / territoryRate rangeLocalities
AK$232.441
AL$161.701
AR$161.031
AZ$165.671
CA$172.69–$198.3029
CO$170.941
CT$172.761
DC$181.031
DE$167.091
FL$165.58–$169.673
GA$162.80–$168.162
GU$172.211
HI$172.211
IA$163.191
ID$163.451
IL$163.89–$169.494
IN$163.741
KS$162.831
KY$162.501
LA$162.37–$164.732
MA$171.01–$179.882
MD$168.69–$181.033
ME$163.55–$166.402
MI$163.60–$166.062
MN$167.701
MO$161.46–$165.083
MS$161.261
MT$167.001
NC$164.081
ND$166.611
NE$163.501
NH$168.561
NJ$175.81–$181.422
NM$163.811
NV$166.931
NY$164.80–$183.235
OH$163.521
OK$162.571
OR$166.65–$173.302
PA$163.68–$171.052
PR$167.441
RI$170.651
SC$163.861
SD$166.561
TN$163.051
TX$163.35–$169.518
UT$164.531
VA$166.13–$181.032
VI$167.441
VT$166.271
WA$170.61–$182.292
WI$164.861
WV$162.041
WY$166.831

Explore 90837 on the national rate map →

Where does this rate apply?

Merced is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 24 cities and communities in California, including the examples shown here.

Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.

Browse all communities in California →

Why are the office and facility amounts different?

For 90837 in Merced, the physician’s office rate is $172.69 and the facility-setting rate is $137.91: a difference of $34.78.

The calculation uses a different practice-expense RVU for each setting. Both amounts here are physician fee-schedule amounts. The facility figure does not include a hospital’s separate charges, so this comparison does not tell you the total cost of receiving care in each setting.

See the inputs behind this difference →

Use this rate

What is a percentage of Medicare worth?

Turn a percentage into dollars for 90837 in Merced. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.

Reference amount per service

$189.96

$172.69 × 110% = $189.96

A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.

Working with a whole code list?

Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.

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Behavioral health

Compare selected psychiatric diagnostic and individual psychotherapy base rates.

How this local rate is calculated

Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 90837 in Merced.

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

11,533

Code
90837
Physician work
3.78
Practice expense
1.20
Malpractice
0.02

GPCI2026.csv

15

Locality
Merced
Physician work
1.017
Practice expense
1.096
Malpractice
0.536
Office / nonfacility calculation for 90837 in Merced
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work3.78× 1.0173.8443
Practice expense1.20× 1.0961.3152
Malpractice0.02× 0.5360.0107
Total RVUs5.1702
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office / nonfacility rate, Merced$172.69

Open 90837 in the RVU calculator →

Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula

Office / nonfacility

Office / nonfacility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work3.781.017
Practice expense1.21.096
Malpractice0.020.536

(3.78 × 1.017 + 1.2 × 1.096 + 0.02 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $172.69

Facility

Facility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work3.781.017
Practice expense0.251.096
Malpractice0.020.536

(3.78 × 1.017 + 0.25 × 1.096 + 0.02 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $137.91

The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.

How this rate has changed

90837 · Office / nonfacility

$172.69

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $14.70 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $157.99 to $172.69 (9.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $157.99changed to$172.69

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 3.63 changed to 3.78
    • Practice expense RVU 1.06 changed to 1.20
    • Malpractice RVU 0.08 changed to 0.02
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.017
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.093 changed to 1.096
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.560 changed to 0.536

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    Earliest loaded release: $157.99

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →

Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.

Inspect every release and its CMS source
Effective fromOffice / nonfacilityFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$172.69$137.91RVU26D
2026-07-01$172.69$137.91RVU26C
2026-04-01$172.69$137.91RVU26B
2026-01-01$172.69$137.91RVU26A
2025-10-01$157.99$136.42RVU25D
2025-07-01$157.99$136.42RVU25C
2025-04-01$157.99$136.42RVU25B
2025-01-01$157.99$136.42RVU25A

90837 billing questions

What is the minimum time needed to report 90837?

Document at least 53 minutes of psychotherapy. Sessions of 38 to 52 minutes are reported with 90834, and sessions of 16 to 37 minutes with 90832.

Can a psychiatrist report 90837 with an office E/M visit?

When the same clinician reports a separate E/M service and provides at least 53 minutes of psychotherapy, report add-on 90838 with the E/M code instead of 90837. Keep E/M time separate from psychotherapy time.

Can interactive complexity be added?

Yes. Add-on 90785 may be reported when its communication requirements are met and documented, such as using play equipment to overcome a child's inability to communicate through typical language. Routine use of toys alone does not qualify.

Does a family member's participation change the code?

Not when the patient is present and the focus remains the patient's individual treatment. For family psychotherapy focused on family interactions, use 90847 when the patient is present or 90846 when the patient is absent.

When is crisis psychotherapy reported instead of 90837?

Use 90839 for an encounter requiring urgent crisis assessment and intervention, rather than selecting 90837 solely because the session lasts at least 53 minutes. Select by the service furnished and its documented time.

Does a 60-minute appointment automatically qualify for 90837?

No. At least 53 minutes must be spent providing psychotherapy; exclude scheduling, documentation, and time spent on a separately reported E/M service.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.

Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.

RVUs for 90837PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 11,533 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for MercedGPCI2026.csv, line 15 (RVU26D)
Open CMS sourceHow this rate is calculatedBuild a fee sheet