Developed by the American Medical Association (AMA), CPT coding is a standard code that is applied to procedures and services for the purpose of patient records. There are three types of CPT codes: Category I, II and III.
Category III types codes are temporary codes for new and emerging technologies. The idea behind this category of codes is to aid researchers track emerging technology and services to substantiate extensive usage and clinical efficiency. So if you are someone who embraces new technology, there’s quite a possibility that you are familiar with Category type III CPT codes.
This category of CPT codes has been created to allow for data collection and utilization tracking for new procedures that do not meet the criteria for Category I CPT codes. Category III codes comprise five digits, with four digits followed by the letter ‘T’ in the last field. These codes are temporary in nature and will make an exit if the procedure or service does not get accepted as Category I code within five years.
Few things to keep in mind about this type of Category codes:
* As per AMA, it’s not right to use a CPT I code or an unlisted procedure if Category III code exists
* Identify a base code that’s quite like the Category III code
* Determine the fee schedule for the Category III code using the same methodology as for unlisted procedures
* Watch the reimbursements closely
The AMA updates these codes twice a year, in January and July. So if you need to get hold of the most current listing of CPT III codes, you can check out the AMA website.