Background on Treatment Codes Replacing 92507

CPT code 92507 currently describes individual treatment of speech, language, voice, communication, and/or auditory processing disorders. Effective January 1, 2027, CPT code 92507 will be deleted and replaced by 10 speech-language pathology treatment codes that more specifically describe individual treatment in five clinical categories:

treatment of fluency disorders;
treatment of speech sound production disorders;
treatment of language comprehension and expression disorders;
treatment of combined speech sound production and language comprehension and expression disorders; and
treatment of voice, upper airway dysfunction, and/or resonance disorders.

Each category includes a base code for the initial 30 minutes of direct, one-on-one patient contact and an add-on code for each additional 15 minutes. CPT code 92508 will remain available as a stand-alone, untimed code for group treatment of two or more individuals, subject to its revised CPT instructions.

Why New Codes Were Needed

The new code family allows clinicians to report treatment more specifically, reflects the evolution of speech-language pathology practice, and provides greater flexibility by recognizing differences in treatment time and service complexity. Clinical practice, research, technology, service delivery, and the populations served have evolved substantially since the creation of CPT code 92507 several decades ago. One broad, untimed code no longer provides the level of specificity expected under current CPT coding standards.

In 2024, CMS and the AMA identified a substantial increase in Medicare billing for CPT code 92507 through a high-volume growth screen. This triggered a review of the code through the AMA CPT and RUC processes. ASHA worked with practicing clinicians, subject matter experts, and the AMA to develop a code structure that reflects contemporary speech-language pathology practice and complies with CPT coding conventions. For more details on the process that led to these changes, see Update on CPT Code 92507: Valuation Review Underway.

The new codes are intended to:

describe the clinical service being provided more precisely;
recognize variation in the time required to provide different types of treatment;
better represent differences in patient needs and service complexity;
provide payers with clearer information about the services reported; and
ensure patients have a better understanding of their clinical condition and associated treatment.

For a detailed explanation of how CPT codes are created and valued, see Understanding the CPT Process: How Codes Are Created and Valued and How A CPT Code Becomes A Code [PDF].

Questions? Contact ASHA’s health care education and policy team at reimbursement@asha.org.