Health Policy Memo > Coding Information
New Cardiac CT Codes for 2010
January 4, 2010
In 2010, providers will have new CPT Category I codes for cardiac CT and cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CTA). These new codes were developed to replace the emerging technology CPT Category III codes. These coding changes were initiated jointly by ASNC, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Radiology, and the Society for Cardiovascular Computed Tomography in response to growing adoption of cardiac CT procedures.
Table 2: 2010 Cardiac CTA CPT Code Changes (PDF)
Hospital Billing and Reimbursement Information
The HOPPS final rule assigns the new CPT CCT/CCTA Category I codes in similar APC groupings as were outlined for the Category III "T" codes in the proposed rule. It is critically important for hospitals to account for the appropriate costs and work when performing these new 2010 codes. Specifically, when establishing charges for the new codes, hospitals should consider the costs of each new procedure code and develop representative charges for the various services. Hospitals should not simply crosswalk the Category III "T" codes payment rates to the new code without considering actual costs of these procedures. Any changed 2010 charges billed on the claims by hospitals will ensure CMS captures the appropriate costs in future rate setting procedures. If hospital providers do not update their charge masters for 2010, hospital rates could be jeopardized when CMS develops rates for 2012. (CMS uses two-year-old data to set hospital technical rates.
HOPPS Reimbursement Information
Physician and IDTF Billing and Reimbursement Information
See Table 2 for details about the new and deleted CCT/CCTA codes for 2010. Reimbursement for these codes is outlined in the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule.
