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Understanding the 8-Minute Rule in Early Intervention Billing—and How EasySteps Makes It Easy

Billing in Early Intervention (EI) can be confusing, especially when it comes to applying the 8-Minute Rule.


WHAT IS THE 8-MINUTE RULE?

The 8-Minute Rule is a federal CMS billing standard used for reimbursable services, including Early Intervention (EI) services, to determine how timed therapy units are billed. This rule helps ensure accurate billing, clean claims, and proper reimbursement for EI services. (Note: SLP sessions are not time-based.)


With EasySteps, applying the 8-Minute Rule becomes effortless. The system automatically calculates your total minutes and determines the correct number of billable units based on the start and end time of each session, eliminating guesswork and reducing billing errors.


HOW TO APPLY THE 8-MINUTE RULE IN EARLY INTERVENTION:

The 8-Minute Rule is used to determine how many billable units can be charged for timed therapy services in Early Intervention. To bill 1 unit, a provider must deliver at least 8 minutes of a timed service. Each additional unit requires another 15-minute block, with at least 8 minutes of that block completed.


This applies to:

  • Ongoing EI sessions

  • IFSP team meetings

  • Other billable EI services that use timed CPT codes

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WHY THE 8-MINUTE RULE MATTERS IN EARLYSTEPS

Early Intervention services take place during everyday routines, where the flow of time can vary naturally based on child engagement, caregiver coaching, family questions, and routine transitions. Because no two sessions look the same, accurate time tracking is essential.


The 8-Minute Rule ensures that providers bill correctly for the time they actually spend delivering services. It helps prevent both underbilling and overbilling, supports clean Medicaid claims, and ensures reimbursement aligns with true service delivery—protecting both providers and families within the EarlySteps system.


HOW EASYSTEPS AUTOMATICALLY CALCULATES UNITS FOR YOU

Here’s how EasySteps handles unit calculation automatically:

  1. Enter your start and end time.

  2. EasySteps auto-calculates total minutes.

  3. The system applies the 8-Minute Rule.

  4. Units flow directly into your Medicaid or CFO claim.

  5. Claims stay compliant, accurate, and ready for submission.


FINAL THOUGHTS

Understanding the 8-Minute Rule is essential for accurate EarlySteps billing, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. With EasySteps, therapists can document sessions confidently while the system handles the math. If you have questions, email us at info@easystepsla.com.

 


External link: CMS Guidelines: https://www.cms.gov




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