Yes, we will be having many CPT codes changes for 2020 year. Their has been already a big change in E/M coding going to happen in 2021, but before that we will need to know about the new changes in CPT codes section for 2020.
Their are around 244 new, 72 revised and 68 deleted codes in next year’s CPT manual for 2020. The 384 code changes take effect Jan. 1, 2020.
The new drug implant codes ranges from CPT code 20700-20705. All these codes are Add-on codes added in musculoskeletal section. These procedure codes describe the manual preparation and insertion of implants designed to deliver drugs, such as antibiotics, to deep musculoskeletal spaces. The implants may take the form of beads, intramedullary nails or temporary joint spacers, placed when a patient develops an infection around a joint arthroplasty, requiring its removal. Below is the description of the new addon-on codes.
- 20700, manual preparation and insertion of drug-delivery device(s); deep
- 20702, …; intramedullary
- 20704, …; intra-articular
- 20701, removal of drug-delivery device(s); deep
- 20703, …; intramedullary
- 20705, …; intra-articular
Read also: New ICD 10 coding Changes for 2020 for coders
Per the guidelines, each of these add-on codes may be reported once per anatomic location.
Their are some new CPT codes for needle insertion into trigger points. CPT code 20560 and 20561 has been added in the 2020 annual codebook for coding tigger point muscle injection.
20560 Needle insertion[s] without injection[s]; 1 or 2 muscle[s]
20561 …; 3 or more muscles
Like the trigger point injection codes, 20560 and 20561 describe needle insertion into trigger points. But unlike the trigger point codes, no medication is administered through the needles for 20560 and 20561.
I have already shared about the new procedure codes blood pressure monitoring 99473 and 99494 which are also going to be used from 1st January 2020.
- 99473 (Self-measured blood pressure using a device validated for clinical accuracy; patient education/training and device calibration); and
- 99474 ( … ; separate self-measurements of two readings one minute apart, twice daily over a 30-day period [minimum of 12 readings], collection of data reported by the patient and/or caregiver to the physician or other qualified health care professional, with report of average systolic and diastolic pressures and subsequent communication of a treatment plan to the patient).
As per the coding Guide CPT code 99473 should not be reported more than once per device.
Again we have new CPT codes for pericardiocentesis and for tube pericardiostomy procedures. The current codes 33010-33015, which are used to report pericardiocentesis, does not include the imaging guidance codes. But, the new procedures codes for pericardiocentesis and percutaneous pericardial drainage with insertion of an indwelling catheter will include image guidance as well.
The CPT code for pericardiocentesis 33016, will have a note which says do not report imaging guidance separately. Hence, do not report CPT code 33016 in conjunction with ultrasound, fluoroscopic, CT or MRI image guidance codes (76942, 77002, 77012 and 77021).
The other two new CPT code 33017 and 33018 will be also used to report percutaneous pericardial drainage including fluoroscopic or ultrasound image guidance.
CPT code 33017 will be reported when the patient is at least six years old and does not have a congenital cardiac anomaly.
CPT code 33018 will be reported for patients who are five years old or younger and for patients of any age who have a congenital cardiac anomaly
Also as per coding guidelines these codes should not be reported in conjunction with image guidance codes 76942, 77002, 77012, 77021 or 75989, which describes radiological guidance with supervision and interpretation for percutaneous drainage with placement of a catheter.
For all other CT-guided percutaneous drainage services with an indwelling catheter procedures, medical coders should report CPT code 33019.
References:
https://pbn.decisionhealth.com/Blogs/Detail.aspx?id=200824