HCPCS
S9480: Intensive Outpatient Psychiatric (IOP) Billing Code
HCPCS S9480 is intensive outpatient psychiatric services, per diem. How payers pair it with revenue code 0905, and the denials to watch for.
Last reviewed October 2026
Official descriptor
S9480: Intensive outpatient psychiatric services, per diem
When facilities use S9480
S9480 describes a day of intensive outpatient treatment for a mental health condition. Facilities with a psychiatric or eating disorder IOP put it on the UB-04 line next to the IOP revenue code, one unit for each day the patient attended.
CMS lists it with coverage code I, not payable by Medicare. Commercial payers and Medicaid programs set their own rules for it.
Revenue code pairing
| Payer guide | Revenue code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Evernorth Behavioral Health | 0905 | Preferred code for mental health and eating disorder IOP; dual diagnosis IOP may use 0905 or 0906 |
| BCBS of Mississippi | 0905 | One unit per date of service, type of bill 013X or 089X |
| Point32Health | Not stated with S9480 | Lists S9480 as a behavioral health IOP program, per day |
Common denials and fixes
- S9480 with 0906. 0906 is the chemical dependency IOP code. For a SUD program, payers usually expect H0015. Expect a coding denial such as CO-16 or CO-11; send a corrected claim.
- More than one unit a day. S9480 is per diem. Extra units can deny as CO-151.
- No authorization for the IOP span. CO-197. Check the auth dates against each billed day.
- Too few hours documented. Payers may deny the day as not meeting IOP intensity (CO-150). Keep attendance and hours in the notes.
Questions
Is S9480 billed per day or per hour?
Per day. The CMS descriptor says per diem, so bill one unit for each day of IOP.
Can I use S9480 for a substance use IOP?
Most payer guides use H0015 with revenue code 0906 for SUD IOP. Evernorth lists S9480 or H0015 for dual diagnosis IOP. Check the payer's guide.
Sources
- CMS, Alpha-numeric HCPCS file, October 2026 quarterly update (opens in a new tab)
- Evernorth Behavioral Health, Authorization and Billing Resource (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, Behavioral Health Coding Policy (opens in a new tab)
- Point32Health, Inpatient and Intermediate/Diversionary BH/SUD Facility payment policy, rev. 06/2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
Educational summary, not billing advice. Your contract and the payer's current guide decide how to bill.