CPT 99484: General Behavioral Health Integration Care Management
CPT 99484 reports at least 20 minutes of clinical staff time per calendar month providing general behavioral health integration (BHI) care management, directed by a physician or QHP. In 2026 Medicare pays about $57.45 non-facility (1.72 total RVUs times the $33.4009 conversion factor) and about $38.73 in a facility.
- Code type
- General BHI care management
- 2026 non-facility
- $57.45 (1.72 RVUs)
- 2026 facility
- $38.73 (1.16 RVUs)
- Requirement
- 20 min staff time / calendar month
What is CPT 99484 used for?
CPT 99484 reports general behavioral health integration (BHI) care management, at least 20 minutes of clinical staff time per calendar month, directed by a physician or QHP, for a patient with a behavioral health or psychiatric condition. It funds the between-visit work, assessment, care planning, monitoring, and coordination, in practices that integrate behavioral health without a formal collaborative-care team.
General BHI is the lighter-structure model: unlike the Collaborative Care Model, it requires no designated behavioral health care manager and no psychiatric consultant, only the treating practitioner and clinical staff. The elements that must be present each month include an initial assessment or monitoring using a validated rating scale, a behavioral health care plan, and ongoing coordination, all tied to a documented, medically necessary behavioral health condition with patient consent on file.
How much does 99484 pay in 2026?
99484 carries 1.72 non-facility RVUs and 1.16 facility RVUs. At the 2026 conversion factor of $33.4009 that is about $57.45 non-facility and $38.73 in a facility per month, billed monthly per eligible patient. Example: a primary-care practice managing a patient's depression with monthly PHQ-9 monitoring, medication follow-up calls, and care coordination totaling 22 staff minutes supports one 99484 for the month at about $57.45. Model panel revenue on the Medicare fee calculator.
General BHI or Collaborative Care?
The choice depends on your team structure:
| Model | Codes | Team required |
|---|---|---|
| General BHI | 99484 | Treating practitioner + staff |
| Collaborative Care (CoCM) | 99492, 99493, 99494 | Practitioner + BH care manager + psychiatric consultant |
Frequently asked questions
General BHI is a care-management model for patients with a behavioral health or psychiatric condition, delivered by the treating practitioner and clinical staff without the formal psychiatric consultant and care-manager structure of the Collaborative Care Model. 99484 reports at least 20 minutes of clinical staff time per month directed by a physician or QHP.
The 2026 national non-facility allowed amount is about $57.45 (1.72 total RVUs times $33.4009) and about $38.73 in a facility, billed monthly per eligible patient. It captures recurring behavioral health coordination that would otherwise be uncompensated.
99484 is general BHI: no required psychiatric consultant, no designated behavioral health care manager, and a flat 20-minute monthly staff-time threshold. The Collaborative Care Model codes (99492-99494) require a treating practitioner, a behavioral health care manager, and a psychiatric consultant, with higher time thresholds and higher payment. Use CoCM when that structured team is in place.
Sources & further reading
Reviewed by the ImmediCare Solutions RCM team
Certified billers and coders handling claims across 50+ specialties nationwide. This entry is reviewed against current payer policy and CMS rules. Last review: Jul 5, 2026.
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