Psychiatry and Psychology Services

Medicare covers psychiatric and psychological services provided by authorized, state-licensed practitioners when services are for diagnostic purposes or reasonably expected to improve the patient's condition and are delivered per an individualized treatment plan documenting type, amount, frequency, duration, diagnoses, and goals. Specific covered services include psychotherapy (individual, group, family), crisis psychotherapy, neuropsychological testing when individually medically necessary, and ECT for major depressive disorder when medications are contraindicated; numerous administrative, custodial, screening, and non-face-to-face services are excluded and documentation (including provider licensure, test justification, and testing time logs) must support medical necessity.

"Psychiatric and psychological services are covered when performed by persons authorized by Medicare and licensed by their state to provide such services."