You’ll find 251 revised and 151 new Category I codes in your CPT 2013 manual. You’ll also see that 100 codes have been deleted. But don’t let the large number of revisions alarm you. In many instances CPT simply adds “qualified health care professionals” to a code’s descriptor. These revisions are most evident in the E/M section of the manual.
Check your newsletter for in-depth analysis of these changes. For now, here are some highlights:
The E/M section contains seven new E/M codes. Next year you’ll have codes for transport services (99485 – 99486), coordination of complex care (99487 – 99489) and transitional care management services (99495 – 99496). All of the new E/M codes are time based.
In the musculoskeletal section, you’ll have five new codes, three revised and one deleted code. These include two new sets of codes for arthroplasty revision, including revision of total shoulder arthroplasty (23473 – 23474) and revision of total elbow arthroplasty (24370 – 24371). The new codes will allow you to report revision of one or two components for each joint replacement.
Cardiology practices have 30 new codes and seven revised codes in CPT 2013. As in years past, cardiology practices see radiological guidance bundled in to several commonly billed procedures. New catheter placement codes 36221 – 36228 have been introduced for angiography procedures that bundle in the radiological supervision and guidance.
Pain management clinics should take note of the four revised codes and one new code in the nervous system section of CPT 2013. The majority of changes occur in the denervation subsection, where CPT revised codes 64612 and 64614 and added 64615 for bilateral chemodenervation of muscles innervated by the facial, trigeminal, cervical spinal and accessory nerves.
In the radiology section, you’ll have five new codes, 15 revised codes and 19 deletions. As predicted, diagnostic radiological imaging codes 75650 – 75685 for angiography procedures are deleted. CPT 2013 also overhauled the thyroid imaging codes, deleting seven and replacing them with five new codes that combine single with multiple determinations.
CPT overhauls the allergy testing codes next year, adding four new codes, revising three codes and deleting three. Among the changes: You’ll say goodbye to two frequently billed codes (95010 and 95015) and get to know two new ones (95017 and 95018), which will require you to select the code based on the allergen being tested, instead of the testing method.