Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: I noticed some of the codes in CPT 2010 have a # mark beside them. What does that mark mean?

Texas Subscriber

Answer: The pound symbol (#) or hash mark is a new marking in the CPT 2010 manual that alerts you a code is out of numerical order.

For new codes in sections that contained no available numbers, the AMA opted to add an out of number code to preserve the existing numbers, rather than moving or renumbering the code group. The AMA CPT editorial panel dubbed the result a "resequenced code" -- a code with a descriptor that fits the group it's part of but is out of numerical order. Each of the resequenced codes is marked with # to help draw your attention to the change.

Road signs: AMA also has a new method of relocating an existing out-of-order code. Rather than deleting the code and creating a new number, the AMA will move the code to its more appropriate location and include a note in the manual directing you to the code's new location.