Documentation for Group Therapy

Table of Contents
...

When you schedule a group session, TherapyNotes will automatically add links to make progress notes for each participant to your to-do list.

Who can attend group sessions?

Only existing clients can attend group therapy sessions because they must have a Dx to be seen by the group facilitator.  

How long is a typical group therapy session?

Technically 90853 is not time based but oftentimes providers meet with groups for 45 to 60 minutes. Because 90853 is not time based, a maximum of one unit per day may be billed for CPT code 90853.

What is the Maximum Number of Clients per Group Therapy Session?

According to Medicare guidelines, sessions are not to exceed 10 patients or participants max.   Often, sessions are 6 to 10 clients.

What can not be billed as group therapy?

Medicare does not include the following services as part of coding CPT Code 90853:

  • Teaching grooming skills
  • Monitoring daily living activities
  • Recreational therapy (dance, art, play)
  • Eating together
  • Excursions
  • Social interaction
  • Travel time
  • Self-help materials
  • Report preparation

How to Add Clients to a Group Therapy Appt.

  1. Go to the Scheduling tab to schedule a group therapy session. Choose the type as "Group Therapy". Type in client’s name and click on "Add". Once you are ready to schedule the appointment, Click on +Create New Appointment.

Documentation Requirements

  1. The group facilitator will need to add a “group objective” inside the current treatment plan.  The group facilitator will need to contact (email or chat) the individual therapist and let them know that their client is planning to attend the group AND you’ll let them know you’ll be updating the treatment plan with a group-specific goal.  When the individual therapist creates a progress note for their individual session, they would mark the group objective as "not addressed."
  2. After the group session, you'll be prompted to complete a Progress note for each group member to track and evaluate individual progress within the group setting.  You can copy/paste the progress note for each individual of the group.

‍