The American College of Radiology has proposed two new Current Procedure Terminology codes for the field, with one possibly taking effect as soon as July.
ACR made the request at a recent meeting of the American Medical Association’s CPT Editorial Panel this month. The college said it’s advocating for a Category 1 code covering trabecular bone scores, along with a Category 3 CPT addition related to quantitative multiparametric magnetic resonance.
In a Wednesday update, the college called the latter a “new and emerging technology” and said if approved, the code change could go live on July 1, 2021. Meanwhile the bone-texture proposal would take hold on Jan. 1, 2022, the ACR noted.
Radiology CPT experts are additionally working to delete code 72275—covering radiological supervision and interpretation of diagnostic epidurography—because of low use of this procedure.
“The ACR urges its members to review and consider how the code changes may impact their practices for the coming year,” the college said in its update.
Following the recent meeting, the AMA on Wednesday published fresh modifications to its CPT code set, including additions and editorial revisions for reporting services sparked by the pandemic. These edits are effective immediately for use as of Oct. 7.
The American Medical Association’s CPT Editorial Panel—an independent body convened to review and approve such changes—recently approved the COVID-related updates. For the new radiology codes and other proposals, the panel will collect “broad input” from the healthcare community and beyond in reaching its determinations.
“This rigorous editorial process keeps the CPT code set current with contemporary medical science and technology, so it can fulfill its vital role as the trusted language of medicine today and the code to its future,” AMA said in an announcement.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.