AMA releases 2022 updates to medical coding
The American Medical Association has released its 2022 updates to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set.
The new code set, which is described as medicine’s foundational data-sharing terminology, includes changes to include COVID-19 vaccinations, tech-inspired services and chronic care.
The CPT code set already included COVID-specific codes for vaccines. The AMA worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create the first codes in the series for use in Nov. 2020, with the codes being available before the release of the vaccines to ensure healthcare systems could easily update their systems. The AMA also offers a vaccine code finder to help healthcare professionals find the right codes for vaccine reporting.
“Data-driven planning and resource allocation is vital for effective immunization programs that will bring the coronavirus pandemic to an end,” AMA President Gerald E. Harmon, MD, said in a statement. “Correlating each coronavirus vaccine and dosing schedule with its own unique CPT code has provided necessary analytical advantages to help track, allocate and optimize resources for immunization programs across the United States.”
The COVID vaccine and administration codes are among 405 editorial changes in the 2022 CPT code set, according to AMA. There are 249 new codes, 63 deletions and 93 revisions. A significant percentage––43%––are tied to new technology.
The code set changes are considered in a rigorous process by through an open editorial process managed by the CPT Editorial Panel, an independent body convened by the AMA that collects broad input from the health care community and beyond to ensure CPT content reflects the coding demands of digital health, precision medicine, augmented intelligence and other aspects of a modern healthcare system, according to the AMA.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."