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The AMA released errata and technical corrections on March 14 for CPT^® 2025. The changes revolve around the new synchronous audio-video, audio-only, and brief communication technology-based codes (98000-98016). Most of the changes are in the Evaluation and Management (E/M) section, but other sections in the code book are affected as well.

Make sure you’re aware of these updates so you can code encounters accurately.

Beware These CPT^® Technical Corrections

The effective date of these latest changes in CPT^® 2025 is Jan. 1, 2025.

There are more revisions throughout the E/M section to add or delete references to the new telemedicine codes 98000 (Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and straightforward medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 15 minutes must be met or exceeded.) through 98015 (Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, high medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 40 minutes must be met or exceeded.) and new brief communication technology-based code 98016 (Brief communication technology-based service (eg, virtual check-in) by a physician or other qualified health care professional who can report evaluation and management services, provided to an established patient, not originating from a related evaluation and management service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an evaluation and management service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment, 5-10 minutes of medical discussion) in applicable guidelines and parenthetical notes.

References to these codes are added to other sections of CPT^® as well. For example, in the Medicine section, you are instructed to revise the guideline in the Psychiatry subsection to include code range 98000-98016 to the list of services that may be reported with psychiatry services.

Make these changes in your code books now. Some of the changes you should make are quoted directly from the AMA’s Errata and Technical Corrections document, which you should reference for a complete and comprehensive list of changes.

Here’s a look at some of the changes you should make based on the errata:

• Adjust the guidelines for using code 99452 (Interprofessional telephone/Internet/electronic health record referral service(s) provided by a treating/requesting physician or other qualified health care professional, 30 minutes). In Table 2 “Telemedicine and Non-Face-to-Face Services,” the corrections say, “Revise the Telemedicine and Non-Face-to-Face Services table in the Evaluation and Management Telemedicine Services subsection by replacing ‘No in-person encounter within 14 days’ with ‘Do not report with same-day E/M’ in the row for code 99452 only.”
• Delete the exclusionary parenthetical notes throughout the Synchronous Audio-Only E/M Services subsection for established patients.
• In the Prolonged Service Without Direct Patient Contact on Date Other Than the Face-to-Face Evaluation and Management Service subsection, following code +99359 (Prolonged evaluation and management service before and/or after direct patient care; each additional 30 minutes) is an exclusionary parenthetical note; revise it to include code range 98000-98016.
• According to the errata, “Revise the Prolonged Service Without Direct Patient Contact on Date Other Than the Face-to-Face Evaluation and Management Service guidelines by:
  • “1) adding ‘synchronous audio-video visit, synchronous audio-only visit’;
  • “2) adding codes 98003, 98007, 98011, and 98015 to the examples of services which can be reported in conjunction with code 99417;
  • “3) deleting two instances of ‘encounter’; and
  • “4) adding ‘office or other outpatient encounter for an’ to describe new and established patients.’
• “Revise guideline by:
  • “1) adding ‘synchronous audio-video visit, synchronous audio-only visit, brief communication technology-based service, or’; and
  • “2) adding code range 98000-98016 in the Evaluation and Management Preventive Medicine Services subsection.”
• In the Online Digital Evaluation and Management Services subsection, you should revise the exclusionary parenthetical note following code 99423 (Online digital evaluation and management service, for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 21 or more minutes) to include code range 98000-98016.
• In the Evaluation and Management Remote Physiologic Monitoring Treatment Management Services subsection, revise the guideline to include “synchronous audio-video visits 98000, 98001, 98002, 98003, 98004, 98005, 98006, 98007, synchronous audio-only visits 98008, 98009, 98010, 98011, 98012, 98013, 98014, 98015, brief communication technology-based services 98016.”
• In the Evaluation and Management Newborn Care Services subsection, revise the guideline to include code range 98000-98016.
• In the Evaluation and Management Cognitive Assessment and Care Plan Services subsection, revise the exclusionary parenthetical note following code 99483 (Assessment of and care planning for a patient with cognitive impairment, requiring an independent historian, in the office or other outpatient, home or domiciliary or rest home, with all of the following required elements: …) to include code range 98000-98016.
• Update the telemedicine code range by revising exclusionary parenthetical notes following codes +99439 and +99437 and by replacing codes 98012, 98013, 98014, and 98015 with “98000.”
• Similarly, revise exclusionary parenthetical notes following codes +99425 and +99427 by replacing codes 98012, 98013, 98014, and 98015 with “98000.”
• In the Evaluation and Management Complex Chronic Care Management Services subsection, revise the exclusionary parenthetical note following code +99489 (Complex chronic care management services with the following required elements: multiple (two or more) chronic conditions expected to last at least 12 months, or until the death of the patient, chronic conditions that place the patient at significant risk of death, acute exacerbation/decompensation, or functional decline, comprehensive care plan established, implemented, revised, or monitored, moderate or high complexity medical decision making; each additional 30 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a physician or other qualified health care professional, per calendar month) by deleting codes 98012, 98013, 98014, and 98015.
• In the Evaluation and Management Advance Care Planning subsection, revise the guideline to include code range 98000-98016.

The AMA also released a corrections document, March 5, for CPT^® Changes 2025: An Insider’s View.

Rachel Dorrell, MA, MS, CPC-A, CPPM, Development Editor, AAPC