Prescriber Billing Codes For Behavioral Health Assessments

Date: 06/27/25

Superior HealthPlan, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission encourage STAR Health providers to increase the use of standardized assessments as part of behavioral health services for children and youth.

Superior encourages providers to increase staff awareness and utilization of CPT code 96127 Brief emotional/behavioral assessment (e.g., depression or anxiety inventory, [ADHD] scale), with scoring and documentation, per standardized instrument. This code encompasses standardized assessments like PHQ-9 and GAD-7, where appropriate to support comprehensive assessments as part of mental health services.

Providers who engage in measurement-based care, including the use of standardized assessments, are more likely to make data-informed treatment decisions and often prescribe fewer psychotropic medications.

For billing guidance or additional information, please refer to the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual. You can also contact your Behavioral Health Provider Representative by phone or email at:

• Phone: 1-800-218-7453, select your language, next select Option 3 for Account Management (Provider Representatives) and next Option 2.
• Email: AM.BH@SuperiorHealthPlan.com.