Learn What’s New in CPT® 2027
- By Renee Dustman
- In Billing
- October 2, 2026
- No Comments
The American Medical Association’s (AMA’s) CPT® Editorial Panel was busy this year. Not including early release codes, editorial changes in CPT® 2027 that go into effect Jan. 1, 2027, include:
- 111 new codes
- 63 deleted codes
- 60 revised codes
Factoring in early release codes, which are already effective, CPT® 2027 includes 299 new codes, 74 revised codes, and 80 deleted codes.
AAPC President of Content and Curriculum Raemarie Jimenez, CPC, CDEO, CIC, CPB, CPMA, CPPM, CPC-I, CANPC, CRHC, will provide a comprehensive review of CPT® 2027 in the December issue of AAPC the Magazine. You can also catch her webinar “2027 CPT® Coding Updates” on Nov. 24.
Until then, here are some CPT® 2027 highlights.
Surgery
You will find plenty of new, revised, and deleted surgery codes in CPT® 2027, so review this section and all of its subsections carefully.
Most notably:
- In the Integumentary System subsection, wound closure codes 15011-15018 are deleted, and there are four new codes (15006-15009) for reporting skin cell suspension autografts (SCSA).
- In the Cardiovascular System subsection, there are several new codes (33290-33297, 33308-33309) for the insertion, removal, repositioning, or replacement of a permanent cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) system. The Category III codes (0408T-0418T) presently used to report these services will be deleted effective Jan. 1, 2027.
- Also in the Cardiovascular System subsection, there are three new codes (33994, 33996, 33998) for insertion or removal of a left heart ventricular assist device (VAD), along with new and revised guidelines.
- If your providers perform hernia repairs, be sure to check out the changes for reporting surgical repairs of diaphragmatic hernias. CPT® 39540 and 39542 are revised to specify “via laparotomy” and 12 new codes are added for reporting other interventions.
There are also major changes to maternity care services coding, labor management, and related surgical interventions.
Radiology
This section gets a breather this year with only some revisions to magnetic resonance angiography codes (70544-70549) and three new codes (70560-70562).
Pathology and Laboratory
You can always expect a lot of code changes in this section of CPT®. Most of the new codes are for proprietary laboratory analyses (PLAs) already in effect through the early release schedule.
New codes with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2027, include:
- One new code for Alport syndrome, genomic sequence analysis panel (81409)
- Two new genetic testing codes (81423-81424)
- One code for Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (82939)
- One code for infectious agent detection (87479)
- One code for Macrolide resistance (87544)
- One code for Rubeola (measles) virus (87638)
That’s just the short list. Also note the corrections made to PLA codes 0034U and 0596U, as well as other code revisions and deletions. For example, revisions to molecular pathology procedure codes 81402 and 81407 were released in July, effective on Oct. 1, and will first appear in CPT® 2027.
Medicine
New codes in this section of CPT® 2027 include those for the latest seasonal vaccines, which are already in effect. Code changes that go into effect Jan.1, 2027, will change the way you report:
- Treatment of various speech disorders;
- Unattended sleep studies;
- Autonomic nervous system function testing;
- Behavior identification-supporting assessments; and
- Much more!
Category III
The AMA changed its early release schedule for Category III codes to three updates per year instead of two. As a result, the codes that were released in July went into effect Oct. 1 but make their debut in the AMA’s CPT® 2027 code book.
Keep an eye on AAPC the Magazine and Revenue Cycle Insider for coming specialty coding articles on these changes.
- HEALTHCON Regional 2026 Brings Learning, Innovation, and Connection to Seattle - October 7, 2026
- Learn What’s New in CPT® 2027 - October 2, 2026
- Coders: Are You Ready for Oct. 1? - September 29, 2026
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