Commonly Used CPT Codes in Medical Coding
Welcome to the world of medical coding! Are you just starting out in the field? Are you a medical transcriptionist who’s thinking of transferring to the medical coding and billing industry? Well, while you may do a little bit of adjusting, just remember that you only need to be careful and meticulous in coding and pay close attention to accuracy. As you get the hang of things, you’ll do your job so well that you won’t have any medical coding mistakes. Medical coding will be of second nature to you. Moreover, with the prevalence of medical coding online schools, learning coding no matter what your profession is or age you’re will be a breeze.
First things first, there are two types of codes used in medical coding: CPT codes, and HCPCS codes.
What Are CPT Codes?
CPT stands for Current Procedural Terminology system of codes, and was developed by the American Medical Association. These codes are used to identify the services rendered by a physician in a clinic.
What Are HCPCS Codes?
HCPCS stands for Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, which was developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. These codes are used to determine hospital services, supplies and medications.
What Are the Most Common CPT Codes?
According to About.com, the following are the most commonly used CPT codes (Evaluation and Management): 99201-05: New Patient Office Visit 99211-15: Established Patient Office Visit 99221-23: Initial Hospital Care for New or Established Patient 99231-23: Subsequent Hospital Care 99281-85: Emergency Department Visits 99241-45: Office Consultations The American Medical Association has a complete of the most commonly used codes in medical billing here.
What Do CPT Codes Mean?
To give you an idea, BUP Practice breaks it down to its readers: Basically, the first set of codes is used for assessment visits, or when a new patient or established patient comes by for a comprehensive evaluation. Then there’s what we call induction visits, which can include any one of the set of codes above. The codes used for these indicate the length of time of the visit. Lastly, there are codes used for established patients for their maintenance visits. The codes are used for prolonged and follow-up patient visits. Although BUP’s breakdown is meant to explain the coding for addiction counseling and visits, it still paints a picture on how medical codes are used in general at a hospital. Visit Meditec.com, your premier resource in medical coding tips for more information on how to obtain your medical billing and coding certification.
