Behavioral health session billing worksheet
A downloadable CSV template for organizing the billing-relevant details of behavioral health encounters — session type, rendering provider, place of service, time captured, authorization reference, and payer routing — so that charge capture stays consistent across sessions. This worksheet is an educational, non-PHI planning aid; it is not a substitute for payer-specific rules, which vary by plan, program, and state. Behavioral health service definitions, coverage, and documentation expectations are set by the payer and by federal and state programs; verify current requirements with CMS, SAMHSA, Medicaid.gov, and the applicable payer before billing. Behavioral health substance-use records may also be subject to 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality protections. Use generic, non-identifying entries only and never store completed copies containing patient details in an unsecured location.
CSV · Reviewed 2026-07-18
Download and use
The download contains headings and blank rows only. The examples below use fictional operational references so you can see the intended structure without copying patient data.
Column guide
Session date
Calendar date the encounter occurred. Use a consistent format across rows. Do not enter real patient-identifying context alongside it.
Internal session reference
A non-identifying internal tracking label for the encounter (for example, a sequential worksheet number). Never use a patient name, SSN, or other identifier.
Session type
The kind of behavioral health service in plain language (for example, individual psychotherapy, group therapy, medication management, intake evaluation). Do not enter CPT/HCPCS descriptor text or specific procedure code numbers; the code set is maintained by its owner and assigned per documentation.
Rendering provider / credential
Provider who furnished the service and their credential type. Payer coverage of specific behavioral health provider types varies by plan, program, and state — confirm eligibility with the payer.
Place of service / setting
Where the service was furnished (for example, office, outpatient facility, patient home, telehealth). Place-of-service and telehealth billing rules vary by payer and change over time; verify with CMS and the payer.
Session length (minutes)
Face-to-face or total time as required for time-based services. Time thresholds and how time is counted are defined by the code set owner and payer policy — do not assume a universal rule.
Prior authorization reference
Authorization or referral number on file, if the service requires one. Whether prior authorization applies varies by payer, plan, and service; leave blank if not applicable and confirm requirements with the payer.
Payer / program
The responsible payer or program and, where relevant, whether behavioral health benefits are carved out to a separate vendor. Carve-out arrangements and routing vary by plan and state.
Eligibility verified (Y/N)
Whether active coverage and behavioral health benefits were confirmed before the session. Eligibility and benefit rules differ from one payer to the next.
Billing notes / follow-up
Neutral notes on documentation status, timely-filing considerations, or open follow-up items. Timely-filing windows are set by each payer and program — record the applicable deadline from the payer, not a generic figure.
Fictional example
| Session date | Internal session reference | Session type | Rendering provider / credential | Place of service / setting | Session length (minutes) | Prior authorization reference | Payer / program | Eligibility verified (Y/N) | Billing notes / follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-04 | BH-0001 | Individual psychotherapy | Licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) | Office | 45 | Not applicable | Example commercial payer (benefits carved out to Example behavioral vendor) | Y | Documentation complete; confirm payer timely-filing window before submission |
| 2026-05-06 | BH-0002 | Medication management | Psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP) | Telehealth | 20 | AUTH-EXAMPLE-123 | Example Medicaid managed care plan | N | Re-verify eligibility and confirm telehealth place-of-service policy with the plan |
Working instructions
- 1Enter only generic, non-identifying information. This worksheet is an educational planning aid, not a medical or billing record — do not store a completed copy containing PHI in an unsecured file, shared drive, or email; behavioral health and substance-use records may carry additional confidentiality protections under 42 CFR Part 2.
- 2Describe services in plain language and let credentialed coders assign codes from documentation. Do not paste CPT, HCPCS, or ICD descriptor text or specific code numbers into the worksheet; those code sets are maintained by their owners.
- 3Treat every payer-dependent field — session type coverage, place of service and telehealth, prior authorization, carve-out routing, time thresholds, and timely-filing windows — as variable. Verify current requirements with the applicable payer and with CMS, SAMHSA, and Medicaid.gov rather than relying on a fixed figure.
- 4Confirm eligibility and behavioral health benefits before the session and record the result, since coverage, benefit limits, and authorization rules differ by payer, plan, program, and state.
Sources
Related Knowledge
- Behavioral health billing overview
Foundational reference on how behavioral health services are billed and where rules vary.
- Psychotherapy time-based billing
How time is documented and applied for time-based psychotherapy services.
- Behavioral health claim readiness checklist
A companion checklist for confirming a behavioral health claim is ready before submission.