decisionhealth Newsletters, Coder Pink Sheets - 2011 Issue 12 (December)
AMA CPT Symposium Report: Look for changes to spirometry, audiology and skin codes
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Article Overview
This article summarizes a set of AMA CPT Symposium updates for the 2012 code set. It covers changes and clarifications affecting pulmonary function testing, audiology testing, skin substitute and graft services, developmental testing, infusion guidance, stress echocardiography, and the AMA’s wording for qualified health care professionals. It is relevant to coders, billers, and clinicians who need to understand which CPT areas changed and where the accompanying guidance was updated.
Why This Topic Matters
The article highlights CPT revisions that can affect how common services are classified and reported, especially in pulmonary medicine, audiology, integumentary surgery, pediatrics, and cardiac imaging. It also addresses terminology and supervision-related concepts that affect interpretation of CPT guidance across multiple specialties.
Article Sections
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Qualified health care professionals
Explains the AMA’s clarified terminology for provider types and how the updated language relates to CPT reporting across multiple service categories.
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Evaluation and management
Summarizes updates affecting prolonged services, neonatal and pediatric critical care guidance, and related reporting scenarios.
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Pulmonary medicine
Covers pulmonary function testing revisions, including new and revised pulmonary service guidance and related respiratory testing updates.
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Integumentary system
Reviews skin replacement, skin graft, and related soft tissue reinforcement updates within the CPT integumentary section.
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Central nervous system
Describes changes to developmental testing codes and related reporting guidance for screening and testing services.
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Injection/infusion codes
Addresses revised infusion guidance and related reporting considerations for evaluation and management services.
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Audiology testing
Summarizes updates to hearing-related screening and diagnostic testing, plus changes to communication device evaluation services.
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Stress echocardiography
Covers revised stress echocardiography reporting guidance in facility and office settings.
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Codes for ‘qualified health care professionals’
Lists CPT code groups tied to the AMA’s clarified qualified health care professional language.
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Crosswalk of deleted pulmonary function test codes to new CPT 2012 codes
Provides a crosswalk from deleted pulmonary function test codes to their newer CPT 2012 counterparts.
What You Will Learn
- Which CPT 2012 areas were revised in the AMA symposium report
- How the article groups updates by specialty and service type
- What broad categories of guidance were added or clarified in CPT
- Which sections discuss pulmonary, audiology, skin, developmental, infusion, and cardiac coding updates
- Where the article discusses provider terminology and qualified health care professionals
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Physicians and clinician leadership
- Practice managers
- Compliance teams
- Specialty coding reviewers
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
Modifiers Discussed
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