The American Medical Association CPT Editorial Panel gave two-level cervical total disc arthroplasty a Category I CPT code and revised the existing Category III CPT code to describe three or more level arthroplasty, according to a letter from North American Spine Society President William Watters, MD, to NASS members.
The change comes after the AMA panel reviewed the North American Spine Society's proposal on updates. The new codes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2015.
NASS regularly works with AMA and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on spine-related coding and reimbursement issues. NASS will now join other specialty societies in the AMA's Relative Value System Update Committee to develop recommendations for this code.
Dr. Watters acknowledged Christopher Kauffman, MD, William Mitchell, MD, and David O'Brien, MD, for their leadership in advocating for "fair coding and reimbursement decisions while promoting evidence-based medicine," in the letter.
"These changes will allow for accurate reporting of additional levels and will preserve the ability to obtain a Category I code for three or more level arthroplasty in the future as more literature becomes available," stated Dr. Watters in the letter.
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