AMA Adds Two CPT Codes Related to COVID-19

The American Medical Association published two new COVID-19- related Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes today.

One addition, CPT code 99072, covers the additional supplies, materials and clinical staff time needed to perform safety protocols “during a public health emergency as defined by law due to respiratory-transmitted infectious disease.”

The other one, CPT code 86413, was approved in response to the development of laboratory tests that provide quantitative measurements of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. “By measuring antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the tests reported by 86413 can investigate a person’s adaptive immune response to the virus and help access the effectiveness of treatments used against the infection,” said a press release issued by the AMA this afternoon.

CPT codes are essential to claims processing; providers use them to bill payers for their services.

Descriptors of these two new codes and others related to COVID-19 can be found on the AMA website.

Changes to the CPT code set are considered through an editorial process managed by the AMA’s CPT Editorial Panel.

“The CPT code set continues to quickly adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic to streamline the reporting of innovative tools and services now available to help reduce the COVID-19 disease burden, improve health outcomes and reduce long-term care costs,” said AMA President Susan R. Bailey, M.D., in the press release.