Superbill for therapy
A therapy superbill is the statement you give an out-of-network client so they can ask their insurer to pay part of your fee back. Here is what it needs and which codes therapists use most.
If you don't bill insurance directly, clients pay you in full. Many still have out-of-network mental health benefits, so they submit your superbill to the plan and get reimbursed. A complete superbill means fewer denials and fewer emails asking you to fix something.
What a therapy superbill must include
| Section | What to put there |
|---|---|
| Provider | Your name and credentials, practice name and address, phone, individual NPI (Type 1), license number and state, tax ID (EIN or SSN). |
| Client | Full name, date of birth, address and, if you have it, the insurance member ID. |
| Diagnosis | At least one ICD-10 code. Most plans won't reimburse psychotherapy without one. |
| Services | One line per session: date, CPT code, short description, place of service code and fee. |
| Payment | Total charged, amount the client paid and any balance due. |
| Signature | Your signature and the date. |
See every field filled in on our superbill example.
Common CPT codes for therapy
| CPT | Service |
|---|---|
| 90791 | Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation (intake) |
| 90832 | Psychotherapy, 30 minutes (16–37 min) |
| 90834 | Psychotherapy, 45 minutes (38–52 min) |
| 90837 | Psychotherapy, 60 minutes (53 min or more) |
| 90839 | Psychotherapy for crisis, first 60 minutes |
| 90846 | Family psychotherapy without the patient present |
| 90847 | Family or couples psychotherapy with the patient present |
| 90853 | Group psychotherapy |
Use the code for the time you actually spent face to face. If you are unsure which code a client's plan expects, the client can ask the insurer before submitting.
Place of service for telehealth
The place of service (POS) code tells the insurer where the session happened:
- 11 — in your office.
- 10 — telehealth with the client at home.
- 02 — telehealth with the client somewhere other than home.
Some plans also want a telehealth modifier (often 95) next to the CPT code. Requirements vary by plan, so clients who get a denial for a video session should check with their insurer.
Good habits that speed up reimbursement
- Send one superbill per month with every session in it, rather than one per session.
- Keep the diagnosis code consistent across months unless it actually changes.
- Mark sessions the client hasn't paid yet, so the paid amount matches what they really paid.
- Point clients to a guide on how to submit a superbill; it saves you the explanation.
Make one now. Our free generator has every field above and creates the PDF in your browser. Client details are never uploaded.
Create a therapy superbillQuestions
Can I give a superbill if I'm not in network with the client's plan?
Yes. That is exactly what superbills are for: the client pays you and claims out-of-network benefits from their plan themselves.
Do I need an NPI to write a superbill?
Insurers generally expect your individual (Type 1) NPI on the superbill. Getting one from NPPES is free.
Can one superbill cover several sessions?
Yes. Most therapists issue one superbill a month listing each session on its own line with its date, code and fee.
Is a diagnosis code required?
Almost always. Plans reimburse medically necessary treatment, and the ICD-10 code is how they check it. Discuss it with your client before you include it.
Do I also owe out-of-network clients a Good Faith Estimate?
Possibly. The No Surprises Act requires an estimate for uninsured and self-pay clients. Read what a Good Faith Estimate is and who must get one.