ICD-10 for therapists
F33.2 — Major depressive disorder, recurrent, severe without psychotic features
A severe, non-psychotic depressive episode in a client with prior episodes — marked impairment with an established relapsing course.
- Code
- F33.2 (ICD-10-CM)
- Common CPT pairings
- 90791 · 90837 · 90838 · 90839
Clinical picture
- Severe current symptoms plus a recurrent history; risk assessment and level-of-care decisions dominate early management.
- Coordinate actively with prescribers; combination treatment has the strongest evidence at this severity.
- Evaluate for psychotic features (would move to F33.3) and bipolar history at every severe presentation.
Documentation tips
- Document risk assessment and safety planning at each session while severity persists, plus the rationale for the chosen level of care.
- Record collateral coordination (psychiatry, PCP, family with consent) — it is both good care and strong audit support.
Billing notes
Supports extended sessions and above-weekly frequency with documented justification; crisis add-ons only for true crisis encounters.
Related codes
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Start free — no credit cardThis reference summarizes ICD-10-CM coding conventions and common billing practice for licensed clinicians. It is not medical, legal, or payer-specific billing advice; diagnosis requires clinical evaluation, and payer policies vary. Verify codes against the current ICD-10-CM release.