Speech-Language Pathology CPT and HCPCS Code Changes for 2023
The following updates to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT ® American Medical Association) and Healthcare Common Procedures Coding System (HCPCS) Level II codes related to speech-language pathology services were effective January 1, 2023. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can contact ASHA's health care policy team at reimbursement@asha.org for questions.
For current updates, see speech-language pathology CPT and HCPCS code changes for 2024.
On this page:
- New CPT and HCPCS Level II Codes
- Revised or Deleted CPT and HCPCS Level II Codes
- Additions to Appendix P (Telehealth Services)
- Resources
New CPT and HCPCS Level II Codes
The following new CPT codes are effective January 1, 2023. There were no new HCPCS Level II codes related to speech-language pathology services or devices in 2023.
Remote Monitoring for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The following CPT code was added to the existing family of remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) services for 2023.
98978 Remote therapeutic monitoring (eg, therapy adherence, therapy response); device(s) supply with scheduled (eg, daily) recording(s) and/or programmed alert(s) transmission to monitor cognitive behavioral therapy, each 30 days
ASHA Notes
- 98978 represents the cost of supplies for devices used to monitor CBT, not the time the clinician spends reviewing and integrating the data collected or communicating with the patient/caregiver.
- The device used must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to qualify for reporting under this or any other CPT code related to remote monitoring. Check with the manufacturer directly regarding the device's FDA status.
- Report this code only once per 30-day period (not each calendar month).
- Unlike the other RTM codes, 98978 has not been assigned a specific value and will be priced and covered at the discretion of the payer. Check with payers directly before billing.
- Medicare will cover RTM services, including 98978, when reported by SLPs. Use the -GN modifier to indicate services provided under a speech-language pathology plan of care and check with your local Medicare contractor for pricing and billing information.
Category III Codes for Virtual Reality (VR) Technology for Therapy
The following Category III CPT code related to VR technology for therapy was added for 2023.
0770T Virtual reality technology to assist therapy (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
(Use 0770T only in conjunction with 90832, 90833, 90834, 90836, 90837, 90838, 90847, 90849, 90853, 92507, 92508, 96158, 96159, 96164, 96165, 96167, 96168, 96170, 96171, 97110, 97112, 97129, 97150, 97153, 97154, 97155, 97158, 97530, 97533, 97535, 97537)
(Do not report 0770T more than once per session)
ASHA Notes
- Category III codes are temporary CPT codes representing new technology. They are priced and covered at the discretion of individual payers. 0770T will be sunset January 2028, unless it is converted to a permanent CPT code or is renewed as a Category III code for another five years.
- 0770T is an add-on code for those times when VR technology is used as a tool of therapy. This code must be billed in conjunction with a CPT code for therapy services. Do not bill 0770T as a stand-alone code or more than once per therapy session.
- 0770T may only be reported with the CPT codes included in the parenthetical listed under the code description, including 92507 and 92508.
- Before reporting this code, check with your local Medicare contractor and other payers for coverage and billing guidelines.
Revised or Deleted CPT and HCPCS Level II Codes
There were no revised or deleted CPT or HCPCS Level II codes directly related to speech-language pathology services or devices in 2023.
Additions to Appendix P (Telehealth Services)
The official CPT codebook published by the AMA includes Appendix P, which lists CPT codes that the CPT Editorial Panel has determined can be reported with modifier -95 (synchronous audio-visual telehealth service). The following CPT codes related to speech-language pathology services were added to Appendix P in 2023.
92507 Treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorder; individual
92508 group, two or more individuals
92521 Evaluation of speech fluency (eg, stuttering, cluttering)
92522 Evaluation of speech sound production (eg, articulation, phonological process, apraxia, dysarthria);
92523 with evaluation of language comprehension and expression (eg, receptive and expressive language)
92524 Behavioral and qualitative analysis of voice and resonance
92526 Treatment of swallowing dysfunction and/or oral function for feeding
96105 Assessment of aphasia (includes assessment of expressive and receptive speech and language function, language comprehension, speech production ability, reading, spelling, writing, eg, by Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination) with interpretation and report, per hour
96125 Standardized cognitive performance testing (eg, Ross Information Processing Assessment) per hour of a qualified health care professional's time, both face-to-face time administering tests to the patient and time interpreting these test results and preparing the report
ASHA Notes
- Although some payers may defer to Appendix P for their telehealth coverage policies, this list does not dictate whether services may be delivered via telehealth.
- Inclusion in Appendix P does not guarantee coverage by payers nor does exclusion from Appendix P mean that specific services aren't appropriately delivered via telehealth or won't be covered by certain payers.
- ASHA will continue to work with the AMA to add other speech-language pathology related services to Appendix P.
- Always check directly with payers regarding coverage and billing for telehealth services.
