Developed by the American Medical Association (AMA), CPT coding is a standard code applied to procedures and services for the purpose of patient registration. There are three types of CPT codes: Category I, II and III.
Category III type codes are temporary codes for new and emerging technologies. The idea behind this category of codes is to help researchers track emerging technology and services to verify widespread use and clinical efficiency. So if you are someone who embraces new technology, there is a good chance that you are familiar with Category III CPT codes.
This category of CPT codes has been created to allow data collection and tracking of the use of new procedures that do not meet the criteria for Category I CPT codes. Category III codes comprising five digits, with four digits in a row of the letter ‘T’ in the last field. These codes are temporary in nature and will be removed if the procedure or service is not accepted as a Category I code within five years.
A few things to note about these types of category codes:
* According to the AMA, it is not correct to use a CPT I code or an unlisted procedure if a Category III code exists
* Identify a base code that is close to the Category III code
* Determine the fee schedule for the Category III code using the same methodology as for unlisted procedures
* Watch refunds closely
WADA updates these codes twice a year, in January and July. So if you need to get the most up-to-date list of CPT III codes, you can check the AMA website.