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Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

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Practice Management

CPT Coding Bulletin Articles

Over the years, many Bulletin articles have been written about changes in CPT codes and how to correctly code clinical scenarios. These articles are a great resource for surgeons and their billing staff and have been organized in the below tabs by topic for easy access.

Codes by Category

Annual CPT Coding Changes

2024 CPT coding changes (January 2024)

2023 CPT coding changes (January 2023)

2022 CPT coding changes (January 2022)

2021 CPT coding changes (January 2021)

2020 CPT coding changes (January 2020)

2019 CPT coding changes (January 2019)

2018 CPT coding changes (January 2018)

2017 CPT coding changes (January 2017)

2016 CPT coding changes (January 2016)

2015 CPT coding changes (January 2015)

 

Abdominal

Experts answer FAQs about CPT coding and new hernia repair codes (April 2023)

  • Biopsy of gallbladder wall
  • Appendectomy with partial cecectomy

Frequently asked questions about CPT coding (August 2022) 

  • Intra-abdominal diagnostic ultrasound
  • ICG dye and cholangiography

2019 CPT coding changes (January 2019)

  • Replacement of gastrostomy tube

CPT coding for hepatobiliary surgery (October 2018)

Frequently asked questions about CPT coding (June 2018)

  • Colectomy with loop ileostomy
  • Laparoscopic appendectomy with perforation
  • Laparoscopic liver biopsy

2015 CPT coding changes (January 2015)

  • TAP anesthetic block

Coding for damage-control surgery (August 2013)

Surgical coding across the spectrum (December 2011)

  • Page 44: abdominal trauma
  • Page 46: gallbladder, hernia

Operative report questions (July 2009)

  • Page 52: direct laryngoscopy, esophagoscopy, rigid bronchoscopy

Cholecystectomy questions (November 2008)

Breast

2020 CPT coding changes (January 2020)

  • Nipple- and skin-sparing mastectomy
  • Breast reduction

ACS responds to frequently asked questions about CPT coding (September 2019)

  • Excision of cyst, fibroadenoma, or other benign or malignant tumor, aberrant breast tissue, duct lesion, nipple or areolar lesion

2019 CPT coding changes (January 2019)

  • Sentinel lymph node mapping

Frequently asked questions about CPT coding for breast surgery: An update (September 2018)

Coding for nipple-sparing and skin-sparing mastectomies (March 2017)

2015 CPT coding changes (January 2015)

  • Breast ultrasound

Frequently asked questions about coding for breast surgery  (September 2014)

Surgical coding across the spectrum (December 2011)

  • Page 44: breast surgery

Operative report questions (July 2009)

  • Page 53: removal of breast masses
Evaluation & Management
Hernia

Experts answer FAQs about CPT coding and new hernia repair codes (April 2023)

  • Hernia coding scenarios

2023 CPT coding changes (January 2023)

  • Anterior abdominal hernia repair

Extensive changes for reporting anterior abdominal hernia repair (November/December 2022)

2020 CPT coding changes (January 2020)

  • Orchiopexy

Frequently asked questions about CPT coding (June 2018)

  • Inguinal hernia and lipoma of spermatic cord
Intestinal

2020 CPT coding changes (January 2020)

  • Transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization

ACS responds to frequently asked questions about CPT coding (September 2019)

  • Suture ligation of parastomal varices

Correct CPT coding of colectomy procedures: Open or laparoscopic? (July 2019)

Modifier 51 or 59? How to correctly report multiple procedures (April 2019)

  • Small bowel resection and laceration repair

2017 CPT coding changes (January 2017)

  • Moderate sedation

Coding and reimbursement for colonoscopy (May 2016)

Lymphatic

Frequently asked questions about CPT coding (August 2022)

  • Completion thyroidectomy

ACS responds to frequently asked questions about CPT coding (September 2019)

  • Deep inguinal node biopsy
  • Superficial or deep axillary lymph nodes

2019 CPT coding changes (January 2019)

  • Inguinofemoral lymph nodes

2016 CPT coding changes (January 2016)

  • Mediastinoscopy with biopsy
Skin

2023 CPT coding changes (January 2023)

  • Implantation of mesh for delayed closure

Reporting excision of soft tissue tumor codes (October 2021)

2020 CPT coding changes (January 2020)

  • Grafts, repair

2019 CPT coding changes (January 2019)

  • Fine needle aspiration, biopsy

Frequently asked questions about CPT coding (June 2018)

  • Excision debridement

2018 CPT coding changes (January 2018)

  • Vascular pedicle flaps
  • Chemical cauterization

2016 CPT coding changes (January 2016)

  • Soft tissue localization

Coding for skin replacement surgery in 2012 (February 2012)

Sentinel lymph node mapping and its relation to biopsy (November 2011)

Coding for debridement (February 2011)

 

Trauma
Vascular

2023 CPT coding changes (January 2023) 

  • Percutaneous arteriovenous fistula

2020 CPT coding changes (January 2020)

  • Exploration of artery without repair
  • Vessel assessment prior to creation of hemodialysis access

2019 CPT coding changes (January 2019)

  • Catheter-assisted vein sclerotherapy
  • Vascular families

2018 CPT coding changes (January 2018)

  • Endovascular repair of abdominal aorta/iliac arteries
  • Treatment of incompetent veins

Coding for dialysis circuit interventions (July 2017)

2017 CPT coding changes (January 2017)

  • Mechanochemical vein ablation
  • Dialysis circuit
  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening

2016 CPT coding changes (January 2016)

  • Intravascular ultrasound

Surgical coding across the spectrum (December 2011)

  • Page 45: vascular surgery
Modifiers
Practice Management

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