The current procedural terminology (CPT) codes represent the procedural codes for medical, surgical, and procedural services for medical insurance companies, government entities, healthcare payers, and providers for payment standardization. The codes are updated at regular intervals to keep up with medical and technological advancements.
CPT code updates 2025 reflect the ongoing advancements in healthcare technologies focusing on areas like digital health, artificial intelligence (AI), surgical innovations, and the growing field of remote care services. American Medical Association (AMA) publishes these updates, and in 2025, updates include 420 changes, including new codes, deletions, and revisions. These updates are aimed at making coding more accurate and efficient, supporting emerging practices, and helping healthcare professionals navigate the complexities of modern medicine.
Key Highlights:
- Digital and Remote Monitoring: Enhanced codes for remote therapeutic and telemedicine services, addressing device use and data transmission.
- AI Integration: New Category III codes document AI-assisted cardiology, imaging, and urology procedures.
- Surgical and Procedural Innovations: Updates for skin grafting, abdominal tumor removal, and a new bundled code for carpometacarpal arthroplasty.
- Eliminations and Adjustments: Older codes, such as telephone E/M services, will be removed, and coding for anesthesia and preventive services will be streamlined.
Summary of Updates:
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Areas with Significant Expansion (New Codes)
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Summary of Most Significant Changes:
Skin Cell Suspension Autograft
- New “Skin Cell Suspension Autograft” codes have been added under the categories mentioned below
- Harvest of skin for skin cell suspension autograft
- Preparation of skin cell suspension autograft
- Application of skin cell suspension autograft
Arthroplasty:
- Codes are added for arthroplasty of intercarpal or carpometacarpal joints.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) Therapy:
- New codes for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy have been added, describing harvesting, preparation, and administration.
Intra-abdominal Tumor or Cyst:
- New procedure codes are added for the excision or destruction of intra-abdominal tumors or cysts by open surgical approach.
- Codes selection is based on the tumor size and the location in which it is present.
- The sum of the diameters of all the tumors excised in one session and a single code for excision from the excision code range based on the total length.
Thermal Ultrasound Tissue Ablation of the Prostate:
- Thermal ultrasound ablation of the prostate has three new codes for 2025.
Fascial Plane Blocks:
- The major addition is for the thoracic fascial plane block & lower extremity fascial plane block.
- Separate codes are added for the below cases
- Unilateral and bilateral thoracic blocks (location)
- Single shot or continuous infusion (technique)
- All these injection codes include imaging guidance, also two new codes were added for the ablation of thyroid nodules.
MRI Patient Safety:
- These new CPT codes address MRI patient safety.
- This accommodates the additional effort rendered for patients with implants or foreign bodies required to clear for MRI exams.
Telehealth:
- New Telemedicine Evaluation and Management (E/M) Codes.
- A new subsection within the E/M category features 17 codes specifically for telemedicine services, accommodating both audio-video and audio-only consultations for new and established patients.
- The previous virtual check-in code, G2012, has been replaced by CPT code 98016
References:
- https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-releases-cpt-2025-code-set
- https://aasm.org/ama-releases-cpt-2025-code-set/
- https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/ama-2025-mpfs-summary.pdf
- https://www.acr.org/-/media/ACR/Files/Advocacy/AIA/MarApril-2025-Anticipated-CPT-Code-Changes.pdf
- https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm13887-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-final-rule-summary-cy-2025.pdf
- https://www.aao.org/eyenet/academy-live/detail/2025-coding-update
- https://publications.aap.org/codingnews/article-abstract/20/2/3/199639/Pediatric-CPT-Code-Updates-for-2025?redirectedFrom=fulltext
- https://society.asco.org/sites/new-www.asco.org/files/content-files/practice-patients/documents/2025-CPT-Update.pdf
- https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/2025-mpfs-rule.html
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