Here is a bit of trivia for today: CPT codes were not created for billing purposes but to track disease
The medical coding system originated in England during the 17th century. Statistical data was collected from a system called the London Bills of Mortality, and the data was organized into numerical codes. The codes were then used to estimate the most recurrent causes of death.
Fast-forward a few centuries… The statistical examination of the Mortality Rate (causes of death) was then organized into the “International List of Causes of Death.” Over the years, the World Health Organization (WHO) used the list increasingly to help in tracking the mortality rates and the international health developments.
The list was later developed into the International Classification of Diseases, which is now in it’s 10th edition, also known as the ICD-10-CM/PCS.
In 1977, the global medical community accepted the ICD system, which compelled the National Centers for Health Statistics (NCHS) to expand their reach to contain clinical information. In other words, the ICD system was extended to include cause of death and clinical diagnoses, such as injuries and illnesses.
By including the clinical diagnoses, further statistical information also became available. Once the ICD system was implemented to include the new additions, there was a way to catalog the medical records, make medical evaluations quicker and easier to complete, and offer additional insights into medical care.
CMS mandated that CPT codes be used to report services for Part B of the Medicare Program in 1983 and in 1986 required state Medicaid programs to also use the CPT codes. As part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act in 1987, CMS mandated use of CPT for reporting outpatient hospital surgical procedures.
