Which CPT codes are used for group and family psychotherapy, and what are their typical session lengths?

• A. Group therapy: 90853 (about 45–60 minutes); Family therapy: 90846/90847 (about 50 minutes)
• B. Group therapy: 90853 (about 20 minutes); Family therapy: 90846/90847 (about 90 minutes)
• C. Group therapy: 90850; Family therapy: 90855
• D. Group therapy: 90791; Family therapy: 90792

Answer: (A)

Group psychotherapy is billed with CPT code 90853, and it’s designed for sessions with more than one patient at a time. Because it’s time-based, the typical session length falls in the 45–60 minute range. For family therapy, the codes are 90846 (family therapy without the patient present) and 90847 (family therapy with the patient present), with sessions usually around 50 minutes. These codes reflect whether the therapy is delivered to a group or to a family and whether the patient is present, which is why they’re chosen over other codes that cover different services or evaluation processes. The other options use codes that don’t represent group or standard family psychotherapy and often list durations that don’t match common practice.