You’ve worked hard to open your private practice and are looking forward to developing your patient-base. Before you do so, it is critical that your office is set up for success when it comes to the accurate categorization and documentation of the medical services you provide. But you may be asking yourself, “what is a procedure code?” Procedural codes play a crucial role in this process, allowing healthcare providers to record and track various medical services and interventions provided to patients. This article aims to delve into the significance of procedural codes in healthcare, their differentiation from ICD codes, and touch on commonly used medical procedure codes.

What is a procedure code?

A medical procedure code, also known as a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code, is a standardized alphanumeric code assigned to specific medical services or procedures provided by healthcare professionals. These codes serve as a universal language spoken amongst healthcare providers, insurance companies, and other stakeholders in the healthcare industry.

Healthcare providers use CPT codes for procedures to document various services rendered during patient encounters, including diagnostic tests, surgical interventions, medical treatments, and other healthcare services. Each medical procedure code corresponds to a specific service and has a description outlining the procedure performed.

What is an example of a procedure code?

Let's consider an example of a medical procedure code for insurance: CPT code 99213. This code represents an Evaluation and Management (E&M) service provided by a physician or qualified healthcare professional. Specifically, CPT code 99213 refers to a mid-level outpatient office visit, where the patient's presenting problem is of moderate severity, requiring a detailed medical history, examination, and medical decision-making.

When a healthcare provider performs this specific service during a patient's visit, they will document the encounter using CPT code 99213, along with any relevant ICD codes that describe the patient's diagnosis. Recording CPT code 99213 will be essential for your practice to accurately bill the patient and for insurance to issue reimbursement.

What is the difference between procedure code and ICD code?

While procedural codes (CPT codes) describe the specific services or procedures rendered during patient encounters, International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes serve a different purpose. ICD codes are used to record the patient's diagnosis, symptom, or medical condition. In essence, procedural codes answer the question of "what was done," while ICD codes answer the question of "why it was done."

ICD codes provide a standardized system for classifying diseases and health conditions, enabling consistent and comprehensive data collection for statistical and epidemiological purposes. They help healthcare providers and insurers understand the medical necessity of the services provided and justify the treatments billed under the corresponding procedural codes.

For instance, if a patient visits a dermatologist with a skin rash (ICD code) and receives a biopsy (CPT code for procedures) for further examination, the combination of these codes provides a complete picture of the patient's encounter. The ICD code explains the reason for the biopsy (skin rash), while the CPT code clarifies the specific procedure performed (biopsy).

What are the most used procedure codes?

The most commonly used procedure codes in healthcare vary depending on specialties and medical settings. However, some CPT codes for procedures have broad applicability and are frequently used across different healthcare providers. Let's take a look at a few of these commonly used medical procedure codes:

• CPT code 99203: This code represents a new patient office visit with a detailed history, comprehensive examination, and straightforward medical decision-making.
• CPT code 36415: This code is used for routine venipuncture (blood draw) and is commonly utilized in various medical settings.
• CPT code 99214: This code represents an established patient office visit with a detailed history, comprehensive examination, and moderate medical decision-making.
• CPT code 99232: This code is used for subsequent hospital care for moderately severe medical conditions.
• CPT code 93000: This code is for an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) procedure, commonly performed to assess heart health.
• CPT code 45378: This code is used for a colonoscopy, a screening procedure for detecting colorectal abnormalities.
• CPT code 81002: This code represents a urinalysis procedure, commonly performed for diagnostic purposes.

It's important to note that the usage of procedure codes may vary based on changes in medical practices, advancements in technology, and updates to the CPT coding system, which is done annually. ‍

Your practice and CPT codes

Procedural codes play a vital role in the healthcare industry, communicating the “what” and “why” of patients’ visits and treatments to other providers as well as to insurance companies. Understanding and correctly using CPT codes for procedures is crucial for healthcare providers to ensure proper documentation, future care, reimbursement, and data analysis. As medical practices continue to evolve, adopting modern EHR and practice management solutions like Healthie can streamline the process of working with procedure codes and ICD codes, making healthcare providers' tasks more efficient and accurate. With the aid of technology, healthcare professionals can focus on what matters most – providing high-quality patient care.