Creating and using service codes

Service codes determine how appointments are billed in SimplePractice. You can create and manage service codes in your settings, then apply them to clinicians, clients, and appointments. Every appointment you create on the calendar requires a service code (also known as a CPT code), even if you don’t bill insurance.

In this guide, we'll cover:

• Adding a service code
• Editing service codes
• Assigning service codes to clinicians (group practices)
• Setting a default service code and custom rate for a client
• Changing or adding service codes on appointments
• Using add-on codes

Adding a service code

To add a service code:

1. Navigate to Settings > Services and products > Services
2. Click + Add service
3. Choose how you want to add the service code:
   • Select a pre-populated service code
     • SimplePractice includes commonly used codes for insurance billing
     • You can type numbers to filter and find available codes
     • The Description will auto-fill
   • Create a custom service code
     • Enter letters or numbers directly in the Service field
     • Click Add new code

4. Review or edit the Description, if needed
   • Changes will reflect on online appointment requests, as well as invoices, statements, and superbills
   • The description won’t show on claim forms
5. (Optional) Check Make this the default service if you want this code to be the default for new appointments
6. Complete the remaining service details:
   • Enter the Rate
     • You can choose to Bill in units
     • To learn more, see Using unit billing
   • Choose the Duration
     • This sets the default duration
     • Duration can also be adjusted on the calendar
   • Select Booking options
   • If you’re part of a group practice, choose the Clinicians offering this service and adjust their rates as needed
     • For more information, see Setting default rates for clinicians 
7. Click Save

Editing service codes

You can edit existing service codes to update details such as the: 

• Description
• Rate
• Duration
• Booking options
• Clinicians offering the service
• Active or inactive status

The service code itself can’t be edited. To change the code value, you’ll need to delete the service and create a new one.

Editing an existing service code

To edit a service code:

1. Navigate to Settings > Services and products > Services
2. Choose the service you want to edit
3. Make the necessary updates
4. Select Save

Deleting a service code

If you need to change the service code itself, choose the service and select Delete Service.

Note: If a service code is set as the practice default, you won’t be able to delete it or make it inactive. To do so, first make a different service the new default practice service, then return to the original service to delete it or change its status.

Important considerations

Existing appointments: Editing a service code won’t update appointments that already exist on the calendar. If you need changes to apply to a recurring series, you’ll have to delete all future appointments in the series and recreate them. For more information, see Adding and managing appointments.

Availability blocks: Changes made to service codes won’t automatically update availability blocks. If the service is offered for online appointment requests, remove the service from your availability blocks and re-add it to apply the updates. To learn more, see Managing your availability.

Assigning service codes to clinicians (group practices)

If your practice has multiple clinicians, you can control which clinicians offer each service code and set clinician-specific default rates.

To assign a service code to clinicians:

1. Navigate to Settings > Services and products > Services
2. Choose the service you want to edit
   • By default, all clinicians will offer the service
   • Uncheck the box next to a clinician’s name to unassign the service

3. If a clinician offers the service at a different rate, update their Rate field
4. Click Save

Note: Clinician-specific rates apply unless the client has a custom rate set for the same service.

Setting a default service code and custom rate for a client

If you see a client on a sliding scale or at a different rate than other clients, you can assign a default service code and custom rate that applies only to that client.

To set a default service code or rate for a client:

1. Navigate to the client’s profile
2. Click Edit > Billing and Insurance
3. Under Client Default Services, select a service code from the dropdown menu

4. Enter a custom Rate Per Unit for that service
5. If modifier(s) are required, enter them under Modifiers
   • For more information, see Adding modifiers to claims and superbills 
6. Click Save Client

The default service code and rate will automatically apply to new appointments for that client moving forward. You can still select a different service code or manually adjust the rate when creating or editing an appointment.

Note: Client-specific rates override any clinician default rates for the same service.

Changing or adding service codes on appointments

When you create a new appointment, the service code defaults to the practice default set in Settings > Services and products > Services, unless the client has a default service code assigned.

To change or add service codes on an appointment:

1. Create a new appointment or open an existing appointment
2. Select a different service code from the dropdown, if needed

3. Edit the fee amount, if needed
4. To add additional services, click + Service

Note: To learn more about adding multiple service codes to a single appointment, see Using unit billing.

Using add-on codes

Add-on codes are used in addition to a primary service code. Frequently used add-on codes are already available in SimplePractice and can be added in your settings.

Important: Add-on codes can only be selected after a regular service code has been added to an appointment.

The add-on codes available in SimplePractice are based on what insurance companies commonly accept. If a code doesn’t appear, it likely isn’t accepted by insurance. If you notice any discrepancies, submit a help request.

Setting up add-on codes

To add an add-on code to your account:

1. Navigate to Settings > Services and products > Services
2. Select + Add service
3. Enter the + symbol in the Service field and select an add-on code

4. Edit the Description, if needed
5. Complete the remaining service details:
   • Enter the Rate
   • Choose the default Duration
   • If you’re part of a group practice, choose the Clinicians offering this service and adjust their rates as needed
6. Click Save

Adding add-on codes to appointments

Once add-on codes are set up in your account, you can add them to appointments:

1. Create a new appointment or open an existing appointment
2. Click + Service and select the add-on code

3. Click Done