If you bill 92507, your day-to-day is about to change.
The American Medical Association's CPT Editorial Panel approved the deletion of CPT 92507 at its September 2025 meeting and approved ten new specialty-specific timed codes to replace it. The change takes effect January 1, 2027. After more than two decades as the catch-all treatment code for individual speech-language services, 92507 is going away.
This is the biggest billing change for the speech-language pathology profession since SLPs got direct Medicare billing rights in 2009. It affects how you document, how you bill, how you set your fees, and in some cases, how much you get paid for the same session you provide today.
The conversation around it has been confusing. ASHA's communication has been hamstrung by AMA confidentiality rules. Information has come out in fragments through advocacy podcasts and Facebook groups. We wrote this so you have one place to understand the full picture clearly.
What this article covers:
- What was approved at the September 2025 panel meeting
- The timeline: from approval to effective date
- The ten new codes, by category
- From untimed to timed: the operational shift
- The auditory processing gap
- The May 2026 rescission attempt
- What you should be doing now
- Where to find the official sources
What was approved at the September 2025 panel meeting
At the September 24-26, 2025 CPT Editorial Panel meeting, the AMA approved a comprehensive overhaul of the SLP individual treatment code structure. The decision included three core actions:
- Deletion of CPT 92507, the untimed individual treatment code SLPs have used for decades for any combination of speech, language, voice, communication, or auditory processing services.
- Establishment of ten new Category I codes covering fluency, speech sound production, language, and voice disorders. Each code is time-based, with separate base codes and add-on codes.
- Revision of the group treatment code (92508) and updates to the related coding guidelines.
The placeholder code numbers in the September 2025 documents are written as 92X0X through 92X9X. The actual five-digit numbers will be assigned by the AMA when the CPT 2027 code set is published in September 2026.
Why this happened
92507 has been valued at 1.30 work RVUs based on a 60-minute typical session. That valuation has not been meaningfully updated in over 15 years. The AMA's RVU Update Committee flagged the code for review, and the result is the 2027 restructure.
The timeline: from approval to effective date
The path from approved at panel to live in your billing system is a multi-step process that extends across two years.
- September 2025CPT Editorial Panel approves deletion of 92507 and approves ten new timed codes.
- Late 2025AMA RUC survey distributed to ASHA members. Code descriptors and proposed work RVUs released via the February 2026 RUC report.
- February 2026ASHA confirms publicly that the changes were approved. RUC submits work RVU recommendations to CMS.
- April to May 2026Code Change Application requesting rescission reviewed at the April 30 to May 2 panel meeting.
- July 2026 Next major milestoneMedicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule released, including initial CMS pricing for the new codes.
- September 2026CPT 2027 code set published. Final five-digit code numbers locked and official.
- November 2026CMS finalizes Medicare payment rates for the new codes.
- January 1, 202792507 is officially deleted. The new ten codes take effect.
If you are hearing from billing software vendors, EHRs, and clearinghouses that they are already coding for the change, that is normal and expected.
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The ten new codes, by category
The new structure replaces a single broad code with four disorder-specific code pairs and two additional codes for related services. Each base code covers an initial 30-minute interval, with an add-on code for additional time. The code descriptors below are taken from the February 2026 RUC report.
Fluency disorders
| Code | Descriptor | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 92X0X | Treatment of fluency disorder (eg, stuttering and cluttering), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; initial 30 minutes | First 30 min |
| 92X1X | Treatment of fluency disorder (eg, stuttering and cluttering), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; each additional 15 minutes | +15 min |
Speech sound production disorders
| Code | Descriptor | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 92X2X | Treatment of speech sound production disorder (eg, articulation, phonological process, apraxia, dysarthria), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; initial 30 minutes | First 30 min |
| 92X3X | Treatment of speech sound production disorder (eg, articulation, phonological process, apraxia, dysarthria), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; each additional 15 minutes | +15 min |
Language disorders
| Code | Descriptor | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 92X4X | Treatment of language disorder (eg, receptive, expressive, or pragmatic language), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; initial 30 minutes | First 30 min |
| 92X5X | Treatment of language disorder (eg, receptive, expressive, or pragmatic language), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; each additional 15 minutes | +15 min |
Voice disorders
| Code | Descriptor | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 92X6X | Treatment of voice and upper airway disorder (eg, resonance, voice quality), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; initial 30 minutes | First 30 min |
| 92X7X | Treatment of voice and upper airway disorder (eg, resonance, voice quality), direct (one-on-one) patient contact; each additional 15 minutes | +15 min |
Instrumental voice codes
| Code | Descriptor | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 92X8X | Treatment of voice and upper airway disorder using instrumentation (eg, laryngeal videostroboscopy-guided treatment); initial 30 minutes | First 30 min |
| 92X9X | Treatment of voice and upper airway disorder using instrumentation, including prosthetic voice management; each additional 15 minutes | +15 min |
A note on code numbers
The descriptor language above is drawn from the February 2026 RUC report and represents officially confirmed text. The five-digit code numbers will be formally assigned when the AMA publishes CPT 2027 in September 2026.
From untimed to timed: the operational shift
The most important thing to understand about the new codes is that they are timed, and 92507 was not. Under 92507, you billed one unit per session regardless of session length. Under the new codes, time becomes the unit of service.
The midpoint rule, applied
For the new SLP codes, the base code covers an initial 30-minute interval. Based on standard CPT timing conventions, you would need to spend at least 16 minutes on the targeted disorder area to bill the base code, which is the half plus one rule applied to a 30-minute code. Add-on 15-minute units are expected to require completing the full base time first, then meeting the midpoint of each additional unit. These mechanics are the likely structure based on how comparable timed codes work, but the exact rules will not be confirmed until CMS finalizes the codes, so treat them as a strong expectation rather than settled guidance.
What this means for short sessions
If your session is 14 minutes of fluency work, you may not be able to bill the base code at all. Sessions under 16 minutes on a given disorder area are at risk under the new structure in a way they were not under 92507.
What if you treat multiple disorders in one session?
A session covering both language and fluency would require 16 minutes minimum on each, roughly 32 minutes total, before both base codes can be billed. The single session, single code model is going away.
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The auditory processing gap
Under 92507, treatment for auditory processing disorder was billable as part of the broad descriptor that explicitly named auditory processing disorder. The ten new codes do not include a clear treatment code for APD. This is the single most controversial omission in the new structure. A Code Change Application has been filed to address it. If you treat APD, follow this advocacy effort closely. We have a separate deep-dive on the APD coding gap and what to do now.
The May 2026 rescission attempt
A Code Change Application asking the panel to reconsider the September 2025 decision was reviewed at the April 30 to May 2, 2026 CPT Editorial Panel meeting. The AMA has since published its Summary of Panel Actions from that meeting, which is the authoritative record of what was decided. For the current status, check the AMA Summary of Panel Actions alongside ASHA's 92507 update page.
What the observable signals indicate
Billing software, EHRs, and clearinghouses are configuring their systems for the January 1, 2027 effective date. All practical signs point to the September 2025 decision standing.
What you should be doing now
Now through summer 2026
- Document time precisely. Start logging exact treatment minutes per disorder area in your session notes now.
- Audit your typical session length. Pull six months of sessions. How many fall under 16 minutes on any single disorder area? That is your exposure.
- Map your patients to disorder categories. Knowing your caseload mix helps you forecast which new codes you will bill most often.
Fall 2026
- Confirm your EHR and billing system roadmap. Ask vendors directly when the new codes will be live and what training they are providing.
- Review payer contracts. If 92507 is named in your contract, you may need amendments before January 1.
- Set fee schedules once CMS publishes proposed Medicare rates in July 2026.
Q4 2026
- Train staff on documentation including the midpoint rule, multi-disorder sessions, and add-on code logic.
- Run mock claims in your EHR test environment before real claims go live.
- Brief referral sources and families that bills may look different starting in January.
Where to find the official sources
- AMA CPT Editorial Panel Summary of Panel Actions, September 2025. The official record of what was approved.
- ASHA's Update on CPT Code 92507. ASHA's public-facing explainer, updated as new information becomes available.
- AMA RUC Report, February 2026. The source for the official code descriptors in this article.
- Gawenda Seminars. Rick Gawenda has covered the September 2025 actions and rescission attempt in detail.
- Fix SLP and Entrepreneurial SLP podcasts. Both have published in-depth episodes with practical billing implications.
Now you can prepare for it. The change is real. The timeline is set. The new structure rewards clinicians who treat with clarity, document precisely, and operate inside infrastructure built for timed-code complexity.
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Reviewed by Lindy Myers, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Lead at Coral Care. Updated May 2026 to reflect code descriptors from the February 2026 AMA RUC report and current status of the May 2026 rescission application.
Coral Care handles billing, credentialing, and compliance for pediatric SLPs delivering care in person across nine states. The checklist covers everything you need. If you ever get tired of managing the billing side yourself, that is what Coral Care is for.
See how Coral Care works →Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 2027 change affect commercial insurance or only Medicare?
The CPT codes are universal, but adoption and pricing vary by payer. Commercial plans and Medicaid set their own coverage and rates, and many reference Medicare valuations. If any of your payer contracts name 92507 directly, plan to review and amend them before January 1, 2027.
What happens to auditory processing disorder treatment?
The ten new codes do not name auditory processing disorder, which is the most contested gap in the new structure. A Code Change Application has been filed to address it. If you treat APD, follow the advocacy closely. We cover it in detail in our APD coding gap deep dive.
How should I document sessions to get ready for the timed codes?
Start logging exact treatment minutes per disorder area now. Under the new structure, time is the unit of service, so minute-level documentation tied to each disorder is what will support every code you bill. Building the habit in 2026 makes the January 2027 switch far smoother.
Will the new SLP codes pay more or less than 92507?
That is not yet known. CMS is expected to publish proposed Medicare rates in the July 2026 fee schedule, with final values set in November 2026. Because the new codes are timed, your total reimbursement will track documented session time per disorder area rather than a single flat unit per visit.
What is replacing CPT 92507 in 2027?
Ten new timed codes organized by disorder area: fluency, speech sound production, language, and voice, plus a pair of instrumental voice codes. Each has a 30-minute base code and a 15-minute add-on. The final five-digit numbers are assigned when the AMA publishes CPT 2027 in September 2026.
Is CPT 92507 still billable in 2026?
Yes. CPT 92507 remains valid and billable through December 31, 2026 under current payer rules. The deletion takes effect January 1, 2027, so nothing about your billing needs to change today. Use this window to tighten your time documentation before the switch.
Will the new SLP codes pay more or less than 92507?
Final Medicare payment rates for the new codes will not be confirmed until CMS finalizes the Physician Fee Schedule in November 2026. CMS will release proposed rates in summer 2026. The structural impact varies by session length: shorter single-disorder sessions are likely to see similar reimbursement, longer single-disorder sessions can earn additional add-on units that did not exist under 92507, and multi-disorder sessions can earn multiple base codes. Sessions under 16 minutes on any disorder area lose billing capacity entirely.
What should SLP practice owners be doing now to prepare for 2027?
Practice owners should start with three actions: audit typical session lengths over the last six months to identify exposure under the new thresholds; begin documenting time spent per disorder area in session notes immediately, even while billing 92507; and confirm with EHR and billing software vendors when the new codes will be live in their systems. Closer to the effective date, review payer contracts that reference 92507 by code number, train staff on the midpoint rule, and run mock claims in your EHR test environment.
Did the May 2026 rescission of the new SLP codes succeed?
A Code Change Application requesting rescission of the September 2025 decision was reviewed at the AMA's April 30 to May 2, 2026 CPT Editorial Panel meeting. The official Summary of Panel Actions publishes around mid-May 2026. Practical signals (billing software, EHRs, and clearinghouses already configuring systems for the January 1, 2027 effective date) indicate the original decision is standing. Final confirmation comes when the AMA publishes its formal summary.
What happens to billing for auditory processing disorder treatment?
The ten new SLP codes do not include a clear treatment code for auditory processing disorder. APD treatment was previously billable under 92507's broad descriptor. The omission is the most controversial part of the new structure, and a Code Change Application has been filed to address it. SLPs who treat APD should follow the advocacy effort closely, as the billing pathway for APD-focused services after January 1, 2027 is not yet settled.
Are the new SLP codes timed or untimed?
The new SLP treatment codes are timed. This is a major change from CPT 92507, which was untimed and billed once per session regardless of length. Under the new structure, time spent on each disorder area determines how many units you can bill, following the standard CMS midpoint rule that physical and occupational therapy already use.
What is replacing CPT 92507?
CPT 92507 is being replaced by ten new specialty-specific timed codes covering fluency, speech sound production, language, and voice disorders. Each disorder area has a base code (covering an initial 30-minute interval) and an add-on code (covering each additional 15 minutes). The placeholder code numbers are 92X0X through 92X9X. Final five-digit numbers will be assigned when CPT 2027 publishes in September 2026.
When is CPT 92507 being deleted?
CPT 92507 will be deleted on January 1, 2027. The American Medical Association's CPT Editorial Panel approved the deletion at its September 2025 meeting. The deletion takes effect when the CPT 2027 code set goes live, which is January 1, 2027 for all dates of service from that date forward.
