CPT and ICD-10 on superbills
CPT codes describe what you did.ICD-10 codes describe why. Payers expect both on a complete superbill.
Quick rules of thumb
- Use codes that match the service actually delivered and documented.
- Timed codes need accurate units; evaluation codes follow complexity rules.
- Diagnosis codes should support medical necessity — not a random list.
- This page is educational; coding manuals and payer policies win conflicts.