2025 CPT code 96146
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Psychological/Neuropsychological Testing - Central Nervous System Assessments/Tests Medicine Services and Procedures Feed
Automated psychological or neuropsychological test administration and scoring via electronic platform, with automated result only.
Modifiers may apply depending on the circumstances of service delivery. Consult the official CPT guidelines.
Medical necessity for 96146 depends on the overall clinical context.The use of automated testing should be justified by the need for objective, efficient, and standardized assessment of cognitive or psychological functioning as part of a larger evaluation or treatment plan. Payer policies should always be consulted.
The clinical responsibility for code 96146 involves explaining the test procedure to the patient (and parent/guardian if applicable), answering any questions, providing instructions for using the electronic platform, and ensuring that the patient completes the test appropriately. Direct interpretation of the results is not included in this code; that would be billed separately.
- Medicine Services and Procedures
- Central Nervous System Assessments/Tests (eg, Neuro-Cognitive, Mental Status, Speech Testing)
In simple words: The patient takes a test on a computer, and the computer automatically scores it.A doctor or other qualified health professional does not interpret the results.
This CPT code, 96146, represents the administration of a single, standardized psychological or neuropsychological test using an automated instrument (e.g., computer) that provides an automated result.The test is administered to the patient, and the results are automatically scored and generated by the instrument.This code does not encompass the interpretation of the results or any additional clinical interaction with the patient.
Example 1: A patient is administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) using a computerized platform, which automatically calculates the score.This score is then used to contribute to a larger assessment by a psychologist, but is not interpreted in isolation with this code., A neuropsychologist administers a computerized version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. The automated scoring of the WCST is reported using 96146, while the interpretation and integration into the larger evaluation are billed using a different code., A patient completes a standardized cognitive test for ADHD symptoms on a tablet. The tablet automatically scores the test; only the scoring is billed under 96146, with additional evaluation, if performed, billed separately.
Documentation should include the specific test administered, the date of the administration, the method of administration (e.g., computer, tablet), confirmation that the test was administered by an automated instrument, a copy of the automated result, and the patient's identifying information.
** This code should only be reported when an automated instrument generates the test results.If the test requires any manual scoring or interpretation by a qualified healthcare professional, other codes should be used.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: A technical component (TC) modifier is not applicable to this code because it is a complete service.
- Specialties:Neuropsychology, Psychology, Psychiatry, Neurology
- Place of Service:Office, Hospital (Inpatient or Outpatient), Ambulatory Surgical Center, Telehealth