Find in Table of Contents:

Psychological Testing

Revised: January 1, 2026

· Overview

· Eligible Providers

· Eligible Members

· Covered Services

· Coordination of Services

· Authorization

· Billing

· Resources

· Legal Reference

Overview

Psychological tests and other psychometric instruments are used to determine the status of a Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) member’s mental, intellectual and emotional functioning. Tests must meet psychological standards for reliability and validity and be suitable for the diagnostic purposes for which they are used.

Eligible Providers

· Licensed psychologists (LP) with competence in psychological testing

· Clinical trainee in psychology under the treatment supervision of a LP

An LP must supervise the administration, scoring, and interpretation of a member’s psychological tests when a clinical psychology trainee, technician, psychometrist, or psychological assistant or a computer-assisted psychological testing program completes the tests.

Eligible Members

All eligible MHCP members.

Covered Services

MHCP covers the following services under psychological testing:

· A face-to-face interview

· Administration and scoring

· Interpretation of results

· A written report to document results of the tests. The resulting report must be:

· Signed by the psychologist conducting the face-to-face interview

· Placed in the member’s record

· Released to each person authorized by the client

Coordination of Services

Providers are responsible to ask MHCP members if they are currently receiving the same health care services from another provider. If the member is receiving the same services from another provider, the providers must coordinate the services and document in the member's record how the services were coordinated. MHCP will not inform providers of services the member is receiving from other providers.

Authorization

Service authorization is required for members who need more than 10 hours (20 half-hour units) of psychological testing within a calendar year.

Submit your authorization request to the medical review agent with the following documentation:

· Member information:

· Name

· Date of birth

· Member’s MHCP ID number

· Provider information:

· Name of provider completing psychological testing services

· Provider NPI

· Dates of psychological testing services requested.

· List of proposed or completed tests.

· CPT Code units and hours requested:

· Psychological testing evaluation:

· 96130 (First hour, maximum 1 unit)

· 96131 (Each additional hour)

· Psychological test administration and scoring of two or more tests by physician or other qualified health care professional:

· 96136 (First 30 minutes, maximum 1 unit)

· 96137 (Each additional 30 minutes)

· Psychological test administration and scoring of two or more tests, any method, by technician:

· 96138 (First 30 minutes, maximum 1 unit)

· 96139 (Each additional 30 minutes)

· Current ICD Diagnostic Code, if available.

· Most recent diagnostic assessment or psychological testing results, if available.

· If the results are not available, include an explanation of why the results are not available and what was done to try to obtain.

· Names of contacts from whom collateral information will be gathered.

· Written explanation supporting medical necessity for addition hours of psychological testing.

Billing

· Use MN–ITS

· Enter a treating provider NPI on each claim service line

· Use the appropriate codes from the following Psychological testing table

Psychological testing
Code	Description	Unit	Service Limitations
96130	Psychological testing evaluation services	1 hour	10 cumulative maximum hours per calendar year
96131	Each additional hour used in conjunction with 96130	1 hour
96136	Psychological test administration and scoring of two or more tests by physician or other qualified health care professional	30 minutes
96137	Each additional 30 minutes used in conjunction with 96136	30 minutes
96138	Psychological test administration and scoring of two or more tests, any method, by technician	30 minutes
96139	Each additional 30 minutes used in conjunction with 96138	30 minutes
96146	Psychological test administration, with single automated, standardized instrument via electronic platform with automated results only	1 session	1 per day