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General Surgery Coding Alert

Relocate or Renumber -- What's the Rationale?

Published on Wed Jan 06, 2010

Don't let # confuse you; get the AMA insight here. The AMA hasn't sworn off renumbering codes. But introducing the new # symbol allows CPT to "move" a code while keeping the same number in specific  circumstances. Let the experts give you some insight into when you might expect CPT to renumber or relocate. Options Simplify Your Coding The new system utilizing the # symbol to indicate a code that is out of numerical order will allow for more consistency. "It'll just take some time to get used to," said Peter A. Hollmann, MD, at the RBRVS 2010 Annual Symposium in Chicago in the session "CPT 2010 Resequencing Principles." The AMA uses these principles to decide what actions to take when moving or renumbering codes: • When a code's meaning and/or intent changes, you can expect a deleted and renumbered code. • When the AMA adds large groups of new [...]
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