According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S. It can begin at any age, often in adulthood, and can occur with other serous medical conditions. Research indicates that other conditions worsen when depression is present.
CMS covers one annual depression screening of 15 minutes in duration when conducted by the primary care physician (PCP) or non-physician primary care practitioner. Depression screenings are usually completed by using the PHQ-9 questionnaire, which assesses the patient’s risk or symptoms of depression.
The depression screening is covered once per year as long as the patient does not have a diagnosis of depression or major depressive disorder. It can be billed as a separate service during, and is not considered included in, the Subsequent Annual Wellness Visit for Medicare as long as patient is not diagnosed with depression at that visit.
Feel free to request our free bulletin on billing this service and be sure to check with commercial payors to see if they also cover depression screenings.