Psychiatry & psychotherapy
90853 - RVUs & Medicare payment (2026)
Group psychotherapy.
| Component | Non-facility | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Work RVU | 0.67 | 0.67 |
| Practice expense RVU | 0.23 | 0.05 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Total RVUs | 0.91 | 0.73 |
| National payment (CF $33.4009) | $30.39 | $24.38 |
| Qualifying APM payment (CF $33.5675) | $30.55 | $24.50 |
How 90853 payment varies by locality
Medicare adjusts payment with geographic practice cost indices, so the same code pays differently across the 109 fee schedule localities. In 2026, non-facility payment for 90853 ranges from $29.15 in Arkansas (AR) to $41.93 in Alaska (AK); calculate 90853 for your locality.
Alaska (AK) $41.93 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA) $36.10 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA) $36.05 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (CA) $35.49 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (CA) $35.48 Napa (CA) $34.08 Vallejo (CA) $34.07 NYC Suburbs/Long Island (NY) $33.57 National average $30.39 … 97 more localities between … Rest Of Missouri (MO) $29.33 Alabama (AL) $29.29 Mississippi (MS) $29.24 Arkansas (AR) $29.15
Global period: XXX
No global period: the global surgery concept does not apply to this code.
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Related codes - psychiatry & psychotherapy
- 90791 · psychiatric diagnostic evaluation, no medical services
- 90792 · psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with medical services
- 90832 · psychotherapy, 30 minutes
- 90833 · psychotherapy 30 minutes, add-on to an e/m visit
- 90834 · psychotherapy, 45 minutes
- 90836 · psychotherapy 45 minutes, add-on to an e/m visit
- 90837 · psychotherapy, 60 minutes
- 90838 · psychotherapy 60 minutes, add-on to an e/m visit
- 90839 · psychotherapy for crisis, first 60 minutes
- 90846 · family psychotherapy without the patient present, 50 minutes
- 90847 · family psychotherapy with the patient present, 50 minutes
- 96130 · psychological test evaluation, first hour
- 96131 · psychological test evaluation, each additional hour
- 96136 · psychological/neuropsychological test administration, first 30 minutes
- 96156 · health behavior assessment or re-assessment
- 96158 · health behavior intervention, individual, first 30 minutes
Frequently asked questions
How much does Medicare pay for 90853 in 2026?
The national non-facility payment is $30.39 and the facility payment is $24.38, using the standard $33.4009 conversion factor. Actual amounts vary by Medicare locality; use the RVU calculator for your area.
What is the work RVU for 90853?
The 2026 work RVU for 90853 is 0.67. Total RVUs are 0.91 in the non-facility setting and 0.73 in the facility setting.
Why are the facility and non-facility amounts different?
Only the practice expense component changes by setting. In an office (non-facility) the practice bears the overhead, so the PE RVU is higher; in a hospital or ASC the facility bills its own overhead separately.
Source: CMS Physician Fee Schedule relative value file (rvu26c.zip, retrieved 2026-07-11). Service description is an original plain-English summary, not CPT descriptor text. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Amounts are estimates before sequestration and claim-level adjustments.