E/M Coding Alert - 2019 Issue 12
Category III: Don’t Miss CPT® 2020 ‘Temporary’ Code Additions
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Article Overview
This premium article explains the role of CPT Category III codes and highlights new 2020 additions that may matter to surgical and procedural practices. It is aimed at coders, billers, and clinicians who need to track temporary CPT updates, understand the section’s purpose and lifecycle, and identify which broad procedure areas are affected by the year’s changes.
Why This Topic Matters
Category III updates can affect documentation review, code tracking, and whether a practice is using the current temporary CPT code set for emerging services. Staying current helps coding and reimbursement teams recognize which procedure categories received new additions in the 2020 cycle and monitor code status over time.
Article Sections
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Recognize Code Hierarchy
Explains the role and placement of CPT Category III codes within the CPT system and describes the general purpose of this temporary code section. Also addresses how these codes relate to tracking emerging procedures and maintaining current code usage.
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Check Out New Codes
Summarizes the 2020 Category III additions discussed in the article and groups them by broad clinical area. The section focuses on new temporary codes connected to tumor ablation, breast surgery, and vascular procedures.
What You Will Learn
- The general purpose of CPT Category III codes
- How Category III codes fit into the CPT code hierarchy
- Why temporary CPT codes are monitored annually
- Which broad procedure areas received new 2020 Category III additions
- How the article frames the relevance of these updates for surgical practices
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- General surgery practices
- Physician practices
- Clinical documentation teams
- Revenue cycle professionals
Codes Discussed
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