~4,000
Median wRVUs / yr
Initial psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy, med management, and crisis codes — the codes that make up a psychiatric day, with 2026 CMS wRVU values.
Compensation and productivity benchmarks pulled from public physician surveys and the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
The codes that drive the bulk of psychiatry billing, with current Work RVU values from the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Use these as a baseline — locality (GPCI) and modifiers adjust the final payment.
| Code | Description | wRVU | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90791 | Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation, no medical services | 3.84 | E&M |
| 90792 | Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with medical services | 4.16 | E&M |
| 90832 | Psychotherapy, 30 min | 1.86 | E&M |
| 90834 | Psychotherapy, 45 min | 2.45 | E&M |
| 90837 | Psychotherapy, 60 min | 3.63 | E&M |
| 90838 | Psychotherapy, 60 min, with E&M | 2.74 | E&M |
| 90839 | Psychotherapy for crisis, 60 min | 3.43 | E&M |
| 90785 | Interactive complexity (add-on) | 0.33 | E&M |
| 99213 | Office visit, est. patient, low (20 min) | 1.30 | E&M |
| 99214 | Office visit, est. patient, moderate (30 min) | 1.92 | E&M |
| 99215 | Office visit, est. patient, high (40 min) | 2.80 | E&M |
Source: 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (CMS). Values reflect the national, unadjusted Work RVU.
Where psychiatry productivity falls across the percentile distribution. Most RVU-based contracts target the median (50th percentile); high-volume practices push into the 75th-90th range.
MGMA-aligned 2024 estimates. Verify with your group's data source for contract negotiations.
Typical total compensation ranges across a psychiatry career. Numbers blend salary, RVU productivity, and bonus components reported in physician surveys.
First 1-3 years out of training. Base-heavy contracts; productivity bonuses begin to ramp.
Years 4-10. RVU-based comp dominates as case volume settles into a steady pattern.
10+ years, partnership track, ASC ownership, or high-volume practice settings.
Ranges synthesized from Doximity 2024 and AMGA / MGMA-aligned compensation reports. Actual offers vary by region, practice setting, and case mix.
Most RVU tools were built for one type of day. RVU Tracker handles the mix of clinic, procedures, and inpatient work that actually shows up on a psychiatry schedule.
Save your most-used codes as quick-add buttons. Log a visit in seconds between patients.
Add multiple codes per encounter; the tracker sums correctly with MPPR awareness when relevant.
Tag clinic vs. procedure days and see productivity per session. Decide where to add capacity.
Every code ships with current Work RVU values. Year-over-year updates roll out automatically.
Set your wRVU threshold. The tracker shows monthly pace and projects year-end totals.
Plug in your conversion factor and see real-time earnings. Compare offers during contract review.
A few high-leverage details that quietly cost RVUs (and revenue) when missed.
When you provide both med management E&M and psychotherapy in the same session, bill the office E&M (99213-99215) plus an add-on psychotherapy code (90833 30 min, 90836 45 min, 90838 60 min). Document time on therapy separately.
90791 is for non-medical evaluators (psychologists, LCSWs); psychiatrists with prescribing authority should use 90792 (with medical services). Documentation must include medical decision-making.
90785 (+0.33 wRVU) applies when communication factors complicate an evaluation — third-party reporters, language barriers, sentinel events. Don't reflexively add it; documentation must describe the specific complicating factor.
90839 (first 60 min crisis) and +90840 (each additional 30 min) require documentation of imminent risk and active intervention. They pay meaningfully more than standard psychotherapy but require precise documentation of urgency.
2026 CMS data pre-loaded for every code. Designed for the cadence of a real psychiatry day.