New coding guidance: 2017 CPT changes affect moderate sedation, epidurals, imaging codes

Why This Topic Matters

These updates affect how common services are reported under CPT and can influence documentation, code selection, and claim consistency across several specialties. The article helps readers identify where the 2017 manual introduced new guidance, deleted older references, and added revised reporting options.

Article Sections

1. Moderate sedation changes

   Discusses the 2017 CPT update to moderate sedation reporting and the related guidance changes. The section explains that the article focuses on deleted reference material and new guidance tied to the revised service structure.

2. Additional changes impact anesthesia, pain

   Covers updates affecting spinal, pain, and imaging-related procedures. It highlights the broader reorganization of guidance for selected procedure categories in the nervous system chapter.

3. Interlaminar epidurals and imaging guidance

   Describes the revised epidural reporting framework and the role of imaging guidance in the updated CPT structure. The section also notes related imaging references connected to spinal injection services.

4. Fluoroscopic needle guidance becomes an add-on service

   Summarizes changes affecting needle guidance reporting and the shift away from stand-alone reporting. It also points to parent-code relationships and related imaging services in the procedure family.

5. Another round of drug screen changes

   Reviews the next set of presumptive drug screen codes and the general reporting framework for those tests. The section discusses the alignment between CPT and CMS approaches for these laboratory services.

6. A new endoscopic spinal cord service triggers changes to other codes

   Explains that a new endoscopic spinal cord service prompted updates to related spinal procedure coding. The section also notes deletions and descriptor revisions tied to this area.

7. Note other significant changes for 2017

   Introduces additional 2017 CPT updates beyond the spine and sedation topics. This section serves as a transition to reporting modifiers, telemedicine, and health risk assessment additions.

8. Quality reporting modifiers defined

   Covers guidance for reporting modifiers used in quality measurement contexts. The section focuses on the new explanatory material added to support those modifiers.

9. A new telemedicine modifier

   Describes the addition of a telemedicine modifier and the related eligibility framework. It also identifies the general categories of services associated with telemedicine reporting.

10. Two new health risk assessment codes appear

    Summarizes the addition of new health risk assessment services in the 2017 update. The section distinguishes between patient-focused and caregiver-focused assessment concepts.