ADHD codes from the F90 category, and the presentation decides the fourth character. F90.2 is combined type and the most used. F90 alone is a category header and cannot be submitted. Below: the full table, why F90.9 is usually avoidable, the psychological testing codes practices forget to bill alongside, and the DSM-5 crosswalk.
This page is billing and administrative reference. It describes what a code means and whether it can be submitted. It is not clinical advice and does not tell anyone what to diagnose.
| Code | Title | Billable? |
|---|---|---|
| F90 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (category header) | No |
| F90.0 | … predominantly inattentive type | Yes |
| F90.1 | … predominantly hyperactive type | Yes |
| F90.2 | … combined type | Yes |
| F90.8 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, other type | Yes |
| F90.9 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, unspecified type | Yes |
Unlike many unspecified codes, F90.9 is rarely necessary. An ADHD diagnosis is made by establishing which symptoms are present, so the presentation is normally known: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, or combined. If the evaluation reached a conclusion, F90.0, F90.1 or F90.2 is the accurate code.
F90.9 is billable, so claims carrying it pay. But it describes an evaluation that did not settle the presentation, and a practice whose ADHD claims are mostly unspecified is saying that about every evaluation it performs.
ADHD evaluation usually involves rating scales or formal testing, billed separately from psychotherapy and commonly under-billed:
| CPT | Service |
|---|---|
| 96127 | Brief emotional or behavioral assessment, per instrument — the standardised rating scales used in ADHD screening |
| 96130 | Psychological testing evaluation services, first hour |
| 96131 | … each additional hour |
| 96136 | Test administration and scoring, first 30 minutes |
| 96137 | … each additional 30 minutes |
96127 is the one most often missed. It is billed per instrument, and many payers allow several units per visit. A practice that administers rating scales and never bills 96127 is leaving money on the floor — though unit and frequency rules vary by payer, so check the plan.
| CPT | Service | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 90791 | Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation (no medical services) | — |
| 90832 | Individual psychotherapy | 16–37 minutes |
| 90834 | Individual psychotherapy | 38–52 minutes |
| 90837 | Individual psychotherapy | 53 minutes or more |
| 90847 | Family psychotherapy, patient present | 50 minutes typical |
| 90853 | Group psychotherapy | — |
Family work is common in paediatric ADHD care. 90847 requires the patient to be present; 90846 is family therapy without the patient. Prescribers managing stimulant medication alongside therapy use the add-on codes 90833, 90836 or 90838 with an evaluation and management code.
DSM-5-TR prints the ICD-10-CM code beside each disorder, so the same F90 codes apply, and the mapping is direct: predominantly inattentive presentation is F90.0, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive is F90.1, and combined is F90.2. Note the difference from depression — DSM's severity specifiers for ADHD (mild, moderate, severe) do not change the code, whereas for depression severity is part of the code itself.
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F90, with a fourth character for the presentation. Combined type is F90.2, predominantly inattentive is F90.0, and predominantly hyperactive is F90.1.
No. F90 is a category header. A claim needs the fourth character — F90.0, F90.1, F90.2, F90.8 or F90.9.
F90.2. It is billable and is the most used code in the family.
96127 covers brief emotional or behavioral assessment and is billed per instrument, which is what a standardised rating scale is. Many payers allow several units. Practices that administer scales and never bill 96127 are under-billing, though unit and frequency rules vary by payer — check the specific plan.
No. DSM-5-TR lists the ICD-10-CM codes alongside its criteria. Inattentive presentation maps to F90.0, hyperactive/impulsive to F90.1, and combined to F90.2.
Check a code with Afia — freeCodes on this page were verified against the CMS ICD-10-CM code sets for FY2026 and FY2027 (FY2027 effective 1 October 2026). Last reviewed 19 September 2026. Verify against the current official code set before submitting.