CPT codes are known in the health care industry as "Current Procedural Terminology". This coding system is a trademark of the American Medical Association, and any works containing any current or previous version of the code system are copyrights to the AMA. This system is divided into three categories: services rendered, performance measurement and emerging technology. Though category II and III
. coding has no current subdivisions, category I codes are broken down into individual numbers for evaluation, management, anesthesia, surgery, radiology, pathology, lab work, medicine. The CPT system uses five digit numeric codes in category I, and five digit alphanumerical codes in categories II and III. This code system is updated annually, in the month of October. CPT codes are similar in function to the ICD codes, except that CPT codes identify the services rendered to a patient from a medical practitioner, where the ICD system inventories diagnostics and treatments. The CPT system is used to allow for uniform communication of services rendered, preventing confusion over billing and services between many different doctors. Though CPT and ICD systems work in a similar fashion, the multi-digit systems each utilizes are different from one another and not interchangeable with other systems. As a trademark of the American Medical Association, a licensing fee is required to access any online databases of current CPT codes. Though there are some web sites which list CPT codes and have made these available for free, these sites are not endorsed by the AMA and the codes they provide are typically not current with those that are currently in circulation throughout the medical industry. Because of possible discrepancy in determining services rendered, it is recommended to utilize the CPT database hosted by the American Medical Association, or any of its partner sites, to ensure the codes used are current with the system in use by the American Medical Association. More Reference Links: https://catalog.ama-assn.org/Catalog/cpt/cpt_search.jsp http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/solutions-managing-your-practice/coding-billing-insurance/cpt.page
