2019 CPT codes include remote patient monitoring, internet consulting
The American Medical Association’s 2019 Current Procedural Terminology code set includes three new remote patient monitoring codes and two new internet consultation codes.
The American Medical Association’s 2019 Current Procedural Terminology code set includes three new remote patient monitoring codes and two new internet consultation codes.
According to the AMA, the inclusion of the remote patient monitoring codes “reflect how healthcare professionals can more effectively and efficiently use technology to connect with their patients at home and gather data for care management and coordination,” while the inter-professional internet consultation codes “have been added to reflect the increasing importance of using non-verbal communication technology to coordinate patient care between a consulting physician and a treating physician.”
Also See: New CPT codes to better support telehealth
The CPT code set, maintained by the AMA, describes medical, surgical and diagnostic services, and is designed to communicate uniform information about these services and procedures among physicians, coders, patients, accreditation organizations, as well as payers for administrative, financial and analytical purposes.
“The AMA has urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to adopt the new codes for remote patient monitoring and internet consulting and designate the related services for payment under federal health programs in 2019,” said Barbara McAneny, MD, AMA’s president, in a written statement. “Medicare’s acceptance of the new codes would signal a landmark shift to better support physicians participating in patient population health and care coordination services that can be a significant part of a digital solution for improving the overall quality of medical care.”
There are three types of CPT code—Category I, Category II and Category III. Starting on Jan. 1, 2019, the new CPT category I codes are effective for reporting purposes. Using a downloadable CPT 2019 Data File, next year’s codes and descriptors can be imported directly into existing claims and billing software.
“The CPT code set is the foundation upon which every element of the medical community—doctors, hospitals, allied health professionals, laboratories and payers—can efficiently share accurate information about medical services,” added McAneny. “The latest annual changes to the CPT code set reflect new technological and scientific advancements available to mainstream clinical practice and ensure the code set can fulfill its trusted role as the health system’s common language for reporting contemporary medical procedures.”
Other CPT changes for 2019 include new and revised codes for skin biopsy, fine needle aspiration biopsy, adaptive behavior analysis, as well as central nervous system assessments including psychological and neuropsychological testing.
According to the AMA, the inclusion of the remote patient monitoring codes “reflect how healthcare professionals can more effectively and efficiently use technology to connect with their patients at home and gather data for care management and coordination,” while the inter-professional internet consultation codes “have been added to reflect the increasing importance of using non-verbal communication technology to coordinate patient care between a consulting physician and a treating physician.”
Also See: New CPT codes to better support telehealth
The CPT code set, maintained by the AMA, describes medical, surgical and diagnostic services, and is designed to communicate uniform information about these services and procedures among physicians, coders, patients, accreditation organizations, as well as payers for administrative, financial and analytical purposes.
“The AMA has urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to adopt the new codes for remote patient monitoring and internet consulting and designate the related services for payment under federal health programs in 2019,” said Barbara McAneny, MD, AMA’s president, in a written statement. “Medicare’s acceptance of the new codes would signal a landmark shift to better support physicians participating in patient population health and care coordination services that can be a significant part of a digital solution for improving the overall quality of medical care.”
There are three types of CPT code—Category I, Category II and Category III. Starting on Jan. 1, 2019, the new CPT category I codes are effective for reporting purposes. Using a downloadable CPT 2019 Data File, next year’s codes and descriptors can be imported directly into existing claims and billing software. “The CPT code set is the foundation upon which every element of the medical community—doctors, hospitals, allied health professionals, laboratories and payers—can efficiently share accurate information about medical services,” added McAneny. “The latest annual changes to the CPT code set reflect new technological and scientific advancements available to mainstream clinical practice and ensure the code set can fulfill its trusted role as the health system’s common language for reporting contemporary medical procedures.”
Other CPT changes for 2019 include new and revised codes for skin biopsy, fine needle aspiration biopsy, adaptive behavior analysis, as well as central nervous system assessments including psychological and neuropsychological testing.
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