CPT® Assistant (August 2023): Clue in to coding conventions to increase accuracy


The American Medical Association (AMA) released the August 2023 CPT® Assistant. If you don’t know the difference between “ie” and “eg” in a code descriptor, this issue is for you. The top article takes you through major CPT® coding conventions and symbols to help you translate the secret language of coding.

To find articles from Volume 33, Issue 8, subscribers to Code Connect — Codify by AAPC’s CPT® Assistant search add-on — can check for these topics and codes when they log in:

  • Arthrodesis, corpectomy: 22551, 22552, 22554, 63081
  • Code set conventions: 15854, 24136, 25100, 25105, 43112, 57282, 99202-99215, 99221, 99281-99285, 99341, 99342, 99344, 99345, 99347-99350
  • Pupillometry, quantitative: 95919

The August issue also includes a Questions and Answers section covering these topics and codes:

  • Digestive system surgery, subtotal pancreatectomy: 48160
  • Evaluation and management, ER physician, admitting physician, conversation, MDM
  • Integumentary system surgery
    • Cryotherapy, basal cell carcinoma: 17263, 17281, 17282
    • Laceration repair: 12015, 12032, 12035, 13120, 13132, 13151
  • Musculoskeletal system surgery
    • Excision, soft tissue tumors, digits: 26111, 26113, 26115, 26116, 28039, 28041, 28043, 28045
    • Replanting thumb: 20827
  • Radiology, contrast-enhanced ultrasound: 76978, 76979, Q9950
  • Respiratory system surgery, laryngoscope, balloon removed: 31577