A Practical Guide to Billing VR-Supported Therapy with CPT 0770T
What Clinics Need to Know About Insurance, Documentation, and Realistic Expectations
Virtual reality is becoming an increasingly common therapeutic tool across behavioral health, occupational therapy, speech therapy, ABA, psychotherapy, and health-and-behavior intervention work. But understandably, many clinics ask the same question:
“How do we bill for VR in a way that’s compliant, ethical, and sustainable?”
The good news: CPT 0770T was created specifically to recognize the practice expense of using VR as part of a therapeutic service. It’s already showing up with established fee schedules and negotiated payer rates in all 50 states.
Still, there are nuances. VR can be an incredibly powerful addition to care, but clinics need to understand what the code covers, what it doesn’t, and how to document appropriately.
This article breaks it all down in clear, practical language so your clinic can confidently incorporate VR within your existing insurance workflows.
What CPT 0770T Actually Covers
CPT 0770T, Virtual reality (VR) technology to assist therapy, is an add-on code, meaning it is always billed in addition to an existing therapy code.
Here’s what it represents:
1. Practice Expense Related to VR Use
0770T covers the reasonable expenses associated with VR technology, such as:
VR equipment costs
Disposable or reusable supplies
Technician/facilitator setup or support time
Software/practice infrastructure
This makes the code especially relevant for clinics adopting VR tools like SocialWise VR, where immersive technology enhances the clinical session but does not replace the therapist’s core work.
2. VR as an Adjunct to Therapy. Not a Standalone Service
VR is considered an extension of the underlying therapy session. It must be used within a billable service, not outside of it.
That’s why the code is paired with existing CPT codes for ABA, OT, PT, speech, psychotherapy, or health-and-behavior intervention.
For example:
A therapist provides a 45-minute psychotherapy session (90834) and integrates VR for part of the therapeutic intervention. The clinic may bill: 90834 + 0770T
What CPT 0770T Does Not Cover
It’s just as important to understand the limits of the code so your billing stays clean and compliant.
1. No Additional Therapist Time
0770T does not add extra therapy minutes to a session.
Your billable time is determined strictly by the primary CPT code.
The VR usage supports the therapy, but does not expand the length of the session for billing purposes.
2. Not a Replacement for Clinical Work
The therapist’s skill, judgment, and therapeutic process must remain the central service. VR assists the intervention but does not stand alone as treatment.
3. Not Billable Without a Base Code
If VR is used but no clinical therapy code is billed, 0770T cannot be used by itself.
The Codes You Can Pair with CPT 0770T
Clinics across disciplines can use 0770T alongside a range of therapy codes, including:
Adaptive Behavior / ABA
97153, 97154, 97155, 97158
Speech Therapy
92507, 92508
Therapeutic Procedures (OT/PT)
97110, 97112, 97129, 97150, 97530, 97533, 97535, 97537
Psychotherapy
90832, 90833, 90834, 90836, 90837, 90838, 90847, 90849, 90853
Health & Behavior Intervention
96158, 96159, 96164, 96167, 96168, 96170, 96171
Because the code is payer-recognized nationwide and connected to multiple major carriers through Transparency Act data, many clinics are seeing clear fee schedules already in place.
Documentation: What Clinics Need to Capture
While the documentation requirements aren’t complex, consistency is key. You should include:
1. The therapeutic reason for using VR
A brief statement describing why VR supports the clinical goals for this learner.
Example: “VR was used to support social-communication practice in a controlled setting and to decrease real-world anxiety triggers.”
2. How VR was integrated into the session
A sentence or two describing how the technology was used alongside the base therapy code.
Example: “Learner engaged in a guided VR social-interaction scenario, with clinician providing coaching and debriefing.”
3. Any observed outcomes or responses
This includes behavioral, sensory, emotional, or engagement-related observations — something especially valuable in SocialWise VR given its immersive nature.
4. Confirmation that VR is part of the treatment plan
Most clinics include this in the initial or updated plan of care.
Practical Caveats Clinics Should Know
Transparency is important, so here are some real-world considerations:
Coverage varies by payer:
Even with recognized fee schedules, authorization and reimbursement may differ across plans. Clinics may want to confirm coverage with their top payers before full rollout.
VR must be clinically justified:
VR should not feel like “entertainment.” It must support therapeutic goals — which is why platforms grounded in behavioral science (like SocialWise VR) tend to fit well.
Use of 0770T should be consistent with your state’s scope-of-practice laws:
Therapists should ensure that VR usage aligns with their discipline-specific regulations.
VR is considered practice expense, not clinician work product:
Because the code covers the cost of the technology, clinics should not attempt to add extra therapy minutes unless those minutes were actually delivered.
Why VR Is Being Recognized in Reimbursement
Therapeutic VR has value because it offers what traditional methods can’t, including:
Controlled, immersive environments
Repetition without judgment
The ability to reveal sensory/social triggers
Safe exploration before real-world stakes are high
Standardized scenarios that reduce prep time for clinicians
This aligns with what practitioners report: VR enhances therapy, increases learner engagement, and saves valuable clinician prep time — all without displacing the therapeutic relationship.
Bringing It All Together
CPT 0770T gives clinics a legitimate, nationally recognized way to bill for VR-supported therapy as part of the therapeutic process. It:
Helps clinics recoup the cost of VR hardware and software
Fits neatly within existing CPT structures
Supports ABA, OT, PT, speech, psychotherapy, and health-and-behavior work
Requires clear but simple documentation
Is widely acknowledged across major payers
For clinics considering VR tools like SocialWise VR, this code removes one of the major barriers: reimbursement uncertainty.
