Can I Bill for Play Therapy?

Can I Bill for Play Therapy?

Answer: It depends!

Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) differ in what they will reimburse. Your first step is to check with your MCO to confirm which CPT codes your agency is contracted for.

Currently, there is no standalone CPT code for Play Therapy—unfortunately, that means there’s no single “Play Therapy code” to make billing simple.

In many cases, mid-level clinicians who are trained Play Therapists bill Play Therapy as part of a conjunction service, in addition to standard therapy codes. For example, some clinicians add Interactive Complexity (CPT 90875) to codes such as 90832 (individual therapy, 30 minutes) or 90853 (group therapy).

Common Billing Options for Play Therapy

Service Type	CPT Code	Notes
Individual Therapy (30 min)	90832	For individual Play Therapy sessions.
Group Therapy	90853	For group Play Therapy sessions.
Interactive Complexity	90875	Add-on code — used with 90832 or 90853 when there are communication barriers, caregiver involvement, or heightened emotional/behavioral intensity.
Conjunction Service	—	Based on MCO contract; allows combining Play Therapy with standard therapy codes.

Important Compliance Note

Interactive Complexity (CPT 90875) requires:

• A written Treatment Plan or Plan of Care

• Developed by a qualified practitioner or therapist

• Signed by the supervising practitioner

Caution: Using CPT 90875 for Play Therapy services without meeting these requirements—and without the necessary qualifications—could present a compliance risk, even if you are a Registered Play Therapist (RPT).

For Indiana providers, the Indiana Health Coverage Programs Fraud and Abuse Detection System (FADS) offers a helpful webinar on Interactive Complexity:Interactive Complexity Coverage Webinar – IN FADS

Bottom line: Billing for Play Therapy is possible, but it requires MCO verification, proper coding, and strict adherence to documentation and compliance rules.