CPTCodeCalculator
BHIBase2026 Compliant

CPT 99492

2026 Billing Guide

CoCM Initial 70 min

Reimbursement

$149.30

Threshold

70m

2026 Status

Active

What is CPT Code 99492?

CPT 99492 is defined as: Initial psychiatric collaborative care management, first 70 minutes in the first calendar month of behavioral health care manager activities, in consultation with a psychiatric consultant and directed by the treating physician or other qualified health care professional.

This code is primarily used for BHI services. It falls under the category of Behavioral Health Integration (CoCM) and is valid for the 2026 calendar year according to the CMS Physician Fee Schedule.

2026 RVU Components

Relative Value Units (Non-Facility)

Standard Formula Applied

Work RVU

1.88

Physician Effort

PE (Non-Fac)

2.48

Practice Expense

Malpractice

0.11

Risk Factor

Total RVU

4.47

Note: [(Work RVU * Work GPCI) + (PE RVU * PE GPCI) + (MP RVU * MP GPCI)] * Conversion Factor

2026 CMS Policy Intelligence

efficiency shield

Protected from the -2.5% productivity adjustment (Behavioral Health service).

high value integration

CoCM pays $153.64, reflecting the high administrative and clinical overhead of the three-party collaborative model.

fqhc rhc transition

FQHCs can now capture the significant effort of CoCM using itemized 99492 rather than generic bundled rates.

Administrative Framework

Place of Service

11 (Office)22 (Outpatient Hospital)

NCCI Exclusions

Do not bill with:9948490832G0511

Key Modifiers

G2211Applicable to the office visit context initiating the CoCM model.

Operational Requirements

minimum time

70 minutes of clinical staff time in the INITIAL month.

team roles

Must have: 1) Billing Provider (PCP); 2) Behavioral Health Care Manager; 3) Psychiatric Consultant.

tools

Must use a systematic 'registry' to track patient progress.

caseload review

Must include weekly caseload review with the psychiatric consultant.

Compliance Checklist

Identity of the Psychiatric Consultant.
Evidence of weekly caseload review logs.
Documentation of the 'Registry' used for tracking.
Time log totaling 70+ minutes for the manager.

Audit Defense

consultant invisibility

Audit failure occurs if the consultant's name or their specific feedback is not present in the record.

registry proof

Must be able to produce the registry report if audited.

2026 Update

Initial CoCM (99492) is 70 minutes; subsequent months (99493) are only 60 minutes. Threshold differences are a common audit pitfall.

Common Clinical Scenarios

Primary care office initiating CoCM for a patient with recurrent major depression (F33.1) and poor response to initial SSRIs.
Systematic review of a patient's PHQ-9 progress and medication adjustment per psychiatric consultant's recommendation during the first 70 minutes.

Target Specialties & Utilization

Primary Careinternal MedicinePediatrics

Typical Clinical Indications (ICD-10)

F33.1 (Major depressive disorder, moderate)F31.9 (Bipolar disorder)F41.1 (GAD)F11.20 (Opioid dependence)

Frequently Asked Questions

Maximize Revenue with AI Confidence

Stop leaving earned revenue on the table. CPT Copilot (Coming Soon) automatically handles the complexity of 2026 CMS policies, identifying every opportunity while ensuring 100% compliance.