2024 CPT Code Updates: A Comprehensive Guide

The CPT 2024 code updates will include 153 new codes spread across the code book. These additions include several Surgery subsections (including Respiratory System, Musculoskeletal System, Urinary System, Cardiovascular System, Female Genital System, and Nervous System), as well as Pathology and Laboratory and the Radiology section.

This extension includes the recently introduced COVID-19 codes, which became effective for Medicare on September 11, 2023. In addition, 73 codes have received modifications, including several E/M code updates. Furthermore, 102 codes have been eliminated, largely from the pathology and laboratory code categories, as well as Category III new technology codes. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the annual update resulted in 349 editorial changes.

Not only this but the American Medical Association (AMA) has also provided Spanish language descriptors for over 11,000 medical services and procedures. These descriptors have been incorporated into the recently released Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) 2024 CPT Code Updates, the nation's main data-sharing terminology for medical procedures and services.

Many health insurers, hospitals, medical offices, and other CPT users already use English-language medical records, price sheets,  insurance forms, and patient portals, so the AMA's consumer-friendly descriptions in Spanish can be a beneficial resource. The AMA expects that by offering precise and basic descriptors in Spanish, CPT users will be able to better engage and support individuals in the Latinx community.

Changes to the PLA Code

The CPT® PLA codes have undergone major changes beginning October 1, 2023. The following modifications have been made, according to the AMA website:

• Revisions (0269U, 0271U, 0272U, 0274U, 0277U, 0278U, 0362U), deletions (0066U, 0357U, 0386U, 0397U), and code additions (0402U-0419U) are all included.
• Code 0345U has been updated with a duplicate PLA test symbol and a parenthetical note.
• Correction of the abbreviation CAD to CHD for coronary heart disease in the code 0401U descriptor.
• The term "quantitative" has been added to the code descriptor for code 0389U.

Check if the payer is willing to accept the updated codes before utilizing them.

Changes to CPT® Category III Codes

The CPT® Category III code set will be expanded beginning January 1, 2024. Among the modifications are:

• Code addition (0911T-0815T, 0820T-0858T, 0864T-0866T), code revision (0517T-0520T), guidelines, and parenthetical notes for various new technologies (0911T-0815T, 0820T-0858T, 0864T-0866T)
• Payers may not accept these temporary codes for emerging technologies.

To guarantee appropriate coding and billing processes, it is critical to stay informed about all of these changes.

New Vaccine Codes for Immunization

The immunization vaccine codes in the CPT® code set will undergo significant modifications beginning January 1, 2024. Among the modifications are:

• Vaccine codes (90380, 90381, 90589, 90623, 90683) have been added.
• Dosing guidelines for the Janssen COVID-19 vaccination code (91303) have been updated.
• Respiratory syncytial virus codes 90380 and 90831 are effective after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval or receiving an Emergency Use Authorization.
• The FDA approval pending symbol for code 90678 Respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, preF, subunit, bivalent, for intramuscular use has been removed. It became effective on May 3, 2023.

Wrapping Up!

With a few exceptions, most of the code changes in this annual CPT® update will go into effect on January 1, 2024. For example, the new Cardiovascular disease code 0019M, which incorporates the analysis of protein biomarkers utilizing an aptamer-based microarray and algorithm to estimate the 4-year likelihood of a coronary event in high-risk individuals, will go into effect on October 1, 2023.

Similarly, the new codes 0402U-0419U, which cover multianalyte assays with algorithmic analysis and proprietary laboratory analyses, will go into effect on October 1, 2023. These changes don’t end here, as the list is endless. That’s why there is a need to consult an experienced medical coding company like 24/7 Medical Billing Services free of cost to know what other health providers have experienced.

See also: Understanding CPT Codes For Debridement: A Comprehensive Guide