CPT 90847 is the AMA code for 'Family psychotherapy (conjoint psychotherapy) (with patient present), 50 minutes.' It bills a session in which the clinician treats the identified client together with one or more family members or a partner.

How long does a 90847 session have to be?

The descriptor says 50 minutes, but under the CPT time rule 90847 can be reported once the session reaches 26 minutes or more. There is no separate code for a longer family session, so a 50-minute and an 80-minute session both bill one unit of 90847.

What is the difference between 90846 and 90847?

Whether the identified client is in the room. 90847 is conjoint therapy with the client present for the session. 90846 is family psychotherapy without the client present, for example a session with parents about a child's treatment. Both carry the same 26-minute threshold.

Can 90847 be used for couples therapy?

When the partner session treats the identified client's diagnosed mental health condition, it is billed as family psychotherapy. Medicare contractor guidance describes 90846 and 90847 as services for the treatment of mental disorders, so relationship work with no diagnosis behind it may not be covered. Check the plan before billing.

How many units of 90847 can be billed per day?

Medicare's Medically Unlikely Edit (MUE) for 90847 is 1 unit per date of service, with adjudication indicator 3 (a clinical benchmark that can be exceeded only with documentation). MUE values are revised quarterly.

Can 90847 be billed on the same day as individual psychotherapy?

Payer rules differ. When both happen on one day they need to be distinct sessions with separate time, separate notes, and a clinical reason for each. Check the payer's same-day policy and NCCI edits before billing both.

Can 90847 be billed with interactive complexity (90785)?

The lists of primary codes for 90785 in APA guidance and in Medicare contractor guidance do not include the family psychotherapy codes. Don't assume 90785 can be added to 90847; confirm with the payer.

90847·CPT (AMA)

Family Psychotherapy With Patient

CPT 90847 bills family or couples psychotherapy with the identified client present. The 26-minute threshold, MUE, documentation, and how it differs from 90846.

CPT 90847 at a glance

CPT 90847
Family · therapeutic service
Family Psychotherapy With Patient
Typical reimbursement
$120–$160
US national commercial medians; varies by payer, plan and contract.
Scales that bill here
5 validated scales
A claim needs both a CPT and an ICD-10 code. ICD-10 reference

Code descriptor (verbatim AMA)

Family psychotherapy (conjoint psychotherapy) (with patient present), 50 minutes.”
Source: AMA Current Procedural Terminology, code 90847.

Time requirements

Code	Who is present	Reportable from
90846	Family, without the client	26 minutes
90847	Family, with the client	26 minutes

Both codes name 50 minutes in the descriptor. The CPT time rule lets you report either code once the session reaches 26 minutes. One unit covers the session regardless of how long past 26 minutes it runs.

For sessions without the client, see CPT 90846.

What counts as family psychotherapy

90847 is treatment of the identified client's mental health condition, delivered with family members in the room. Medicare contractor guidance draws three lines:

It treats a mental disorder. The session works on the client's diagnosis, not on general family support.
It is not history-taking. Gathering a family history belongs to the evaluation, not to family psychotherapy.
It is not staff supervision. Therapy with or supervision of professional caretakers or facility staff does not count as family psychotherapy.

Counselling that is really part of a medical visit is billed with the appropriate E/M code for the time involved, not 90847.

Common uses include parent and child sessions for anxiety, ADHD, or behaviour problems; partner sessions in depression or PTSD treatment; and family work in eating disorder or substance use treatment.

Billing rules

Client present. The identified client takes part in the session. If they are absent for the whole session, the code is 90846.
One unit per session. MUE 1 per date of service, adjudication indicator 3.
Bill under the identified client. The claim goes on the client's record with the client's diagnosis, even though other people take part.
Not with crisis codes. Psychotherapy for crisis (90839) may not be reported with 90785 to 90899, which includes the family codes.
Telehealth and place of service. Rules vary by payer and change often; confirm the current policy before billing a virtual family session.

Common ICD-10 pairings

F90.0 ADHD, with parent sessions on behaviour plans
F41.1 Generalized anxiety disorder
F33.1 Major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate
F43.10 Post-traumatic stress disorder
F50.0 Anorexia nervosa, where family-based treatment is common
F84.0 Autism spectrum disorder

See the full ICD-10 reference for diagnosis-specific scale recommendations.

Documentation requirements

Each 90847 note should include:

Date of service and start and stop times, or total time.
Who attended, by relationship to the client, and confirmation that the client was present.
The client's diagnosis and the treatment goal the session served.
Interventions used with the family system and how each person responded.
Progress toward goals and the plan for the next session.

For child and adolescent work, scales completed by the young person and by a parent (for example the PHQ-A, SCARED, or Vanderbilt) give each family session a shared, dated reference point.

Assessments that bill under CPT 90847

These validated scales are commonly administered, scored, and documented under this code.

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Frequently asked questions

What is CPT 90847?
CPT 90847 is the AMA code for 'Family psychotherapy (conjoint psychotherapy) (with patient present), 50 minutes.' It bills a session in which the clinician treats the identified client together with one or more family members or a partner.
How long does a 90847 session have to be?
The descriptor says 50 minutes, but under the CPT time rule 90847 can be reported once the session reaches 26 minutes or more. There is no separate code for a longer family session, so a 50-minute and an 80-minute session both bill one unit of 90847.
What is the difference between 90846 and 90847?
Whether the identified client is in the room. 90847 is conjoint therapy with the client present for the session. 90846 is family psychotherapy without the client present, for example a session with parents about a child's treatment. Both carry the same 26-minute threshold.
Can 90847 be used for couples therapy?
When the partner session treats the identified client's diagnosed mental health condition, it is billed as family psychotherapy. Medicare contractor guidance describes 90846 and 90847 as services for the treatment of mental disorders, so relationship work with no diagnosis behind it may not be covered. Check the plan before billing.
How many units of 90847 can be billed per day?
Medicare's Medically Unlikely Edit (MUE) for 90847 is 1 unit per date of service, with adjudication indicator 3 (a clinical benchmark that can be exceeded only with documentation). MUE values are revised quarterly.
Can 90847 be billed on the same day as individual psychotherapy?
Payer rules differ. When both happen on one day they need to be distinct sessions with separate time, separate notes, and a clinical reason for each. Check the payer's same-day policy and NCCI edits before billing both.
Can 90847 be billed with interactive complexity (90785)?
The lists of primary codes for 90785 in APA guidance and in Medicare contractor guidance do not include the family psychotherapy codes. Don't assume 90785 can be added to 90847; confirm with the payer.

Sources

1. 1.American Medical Association. Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 2026, code 90847.
2. 2.American Psychological Association Services. Psychotherapy Codes for Psychologists (descriptors for 90846/90847; time rule: 26 or more minutes; 90785 primary codes).
3. 3.Wisconsin Physicians Service (Medicare contractor). Billing and Coding: Psychiatry and Psychology Services (A57480), revision effective 2026-01-01.
1. 4.First Coast Service Options (Medicare contractor). Billing and Coding: Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation and Psychotherapy Services (A57520), revision effective 2026-10-01.
2. 5.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare NCCI Practitioner Services Medically Unlikely Edits, table effective 2026-10-01 (90847 = 1 unit, adjudication indicator 3). MUE values are revised quarterly; confirm the current table before relying on this figure.

Family Psychotherapy With Patient

CPT 90847 at a glance

CPT 90847

Typical reimbursement

Scales that bill here