Authorization and Code Crosswalks

Use this section to identify the new speech treatment codes, find authorization routes and track how existing approvals will carry over. Code mapping and authorization conversion are separate: a replacement code does not establish that a payer will transfer an approval, preserve remaining visits or pay the new code.

Speech treatment code crosswalk

ASHA identifies January 1, 2027 as the effective date for the new family replacing 92507. Payer implementation dates can differ. This is a service-based reference, not a one-to-one conversion of every 92507 visit. ASHA transition overview · Payer implementation resources. Checked October 13, 2026.

Previously reported individual treatment	Service treated	New base code	Paired add-on code
92507	Fluency	92654	92655
92507	Speech sound production	92656	92657
92507	Language comprehension and expression	92658	92659
92507	Combined speech sound and language	92660	92661
92507	Voice, upper airway dysfunction or resonance	92662	92663

Base codes describe an initial 30 minutes; paired add-ons describe additional 15-minute periods. Choose the service actually treated. Use combined speech and language codes when both areas are treated, rather than separate speech and language codes together. Add-ons require their corresponding base code. ASHA code guidance.

Time reference

Direct treatment time under the CPT midpoint convention	General reporting pattern
Under 16 minutes	Do not report this service separately
16–37 minutes	One base unit
38–52 minutes	One base unit plus one paired add-on unit
53–67 minutes	One base unit plus two paired add-on units

Payer timing and billing rules must be verified. This table does not convert authorized visits into units. The group code 92508 remains untimed with revised wording; it is separate from this individual-treatment crosswalk. ASHA treatment and timing guidance.

Authorization information by payer

Checked October 13, 2026. The routes below are supported by public payer pages. 2027 conversion not established means the reviewed material did not resolve existing 92507 approval conversion, base/add-on approval or remaining-unit preservation. It does not mean the payer has no guidance elsewhere.

Payer and exact product	Authorization route or published instruction	2027 authorization crosswalk status	Official source
BCBSIL BCCHP Medicaid	Check eligibility and the applicable code list; Carelon handles delegated requests. Carelon: 866-455-8415.	Not established; request code-specific conversion and unit rules.	BCBSIL PA instructions
BCBSIL commercial	Determine requirements and vendor from member benefits; HMO requests go through the medical group or IPA.	Not established; obtain the exact product and network rule.	BCBSIL PA instructions
Meridian Illinois Medicaid	Code-specific PA check; speech therapy is listed under Evolent vendor services.	Not established; confirm remaining visits, new code pairs and Evolent system handling.	Meridian service authorization
YouthCare HealthChoice Illinois	Use YouthCare-specific requirements; speech therapy is listed under Evolent vendor services.	Not established; verify separately from Meridian.	YouthCare service authorization
Aetna Better Health Illinois Medicaid	Clinical/payment policy questions: Medical Management via portal or 866-329-4701. Exact therapy PA requirement needs product/code verification.	Not established; request written new-code and existing-approval handling.	Illinois clinical and payment policies
Optum Physical Health delegated plans	Clinical submission forms and provider portal; identify the client payer and applicable delegation first.	Not established; current SLP criteria, existing-approval conversion and base/add-on rules need written plan-specific confirmation.	Optum clinical library · reimbursement library
Optum Medicare delegated therapy	Medicare Outpatient Skilled Therapy policy 497, effective February 11, 2026; verify the actual MA plan delegates review to Optum.	Not established; policy 497 does not itself establish 2027 authorization conversion or contracted rates.	Optum policy 497
VA Community Care Network / Optum	VA referral and authorization plus the Optum VA CCN portal route.	Verify the applicable referral, approved services, dates and code changes; commercial Optum rules are not substituted.	VA CCN

For the full roster—including Molina, CountyCare, Humana, HealthSpring, FEP, UMR and Allied—open Full plan policy libraries in Payor Policy Updates. Each map row includes policy documents or a clearly marked retrieval gap; authorization requirements and 2027 conversion must be confirmed for the exact product.

BCBSIL states that prior authorization does not guarantee payment. The approval, member benefits and applicable payment rules all need to align. Meridian’s page also lists EPSDT services among exceptions to pre-service review while listing Evolent therapy services; verify the exact pediatric service and code rather than assuming a universal requirement or exemption.

Existing authorization conversion checklist

Questions for a written payer response. These are information requests, not confirmed transition rules.

Conversion question	Record the payer’s exact answer
Existing 92507 approval extending into 2027	Automatic transfer, amendment or new request? Does the authorization number stay the same?
Approved quantity	Are approvals counted as visits, minutes, procedure units or a combined pool?
Base and add-on codes	Must each code be listed and separately approved? How are add-on units deducted?
Remaining approved care	Are unused visits/units and the original expiration date preserved?
Clinical documentation	Is a new evaluation, plan of care or updated diagnosis required solely because codes changed?
Implementation and transition dates	Which codes are accepted for which dates of service? Is any overlap period documented?
Claims matching and corrections	Which code, authorization number, modifiers and units must match? What is the correction route?
Accountable owner	Who can provide written authorization-policy and claims-system confirmation?

Authorization and payment crosswalk record

Use one record per payer, product, service and setting. Keep patient-level authorizations in the practice’s approved clinical system; this shared section records policy-level guidance.

Field	What to capture
Scope	Payer, product/network, Illinois applicability, setting and service
Code mapping	Old code; new base code; paired add-on; required modifiers
Authorization handling	Conversion method; existing approval validity; remaining quantity; expiration; new documentation
Unit handling	Approved unit definition; base/add-on limits; deduction method
Payment mapping	Base allowance; add-on allowance; fee schedule version; contract applicability
Timing	Publication/revision, effective date and claims-system implementation date
Evidence and status	Official notice or written payer response; exact section; last checked; verified, proposed or unknown
Follow-up	Responsible payer department; specific unanswered question; next check

Start by requesting written conversion instructions for existing approvals, then reconcile code and rate mapping with Billing Readiness. ASHA also provides a payer code-use tracker and template letter through its implementation resources.