Question

Which of the following bodies can issue official CPT coding guidelines?

		a. The American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association
		b. The American Medical Association
		c. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the American Hospital Association, and the American Medical Association
		d. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the American Medical Association

Answer 1

Answer b. The American Medical Association

The first publication, in 1966, of the American Medical Association (AMA) Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) edition of standardized codes and terms was a means to code procedures (mainly surgical) for medical records, insurance claims, and information for statistical purposes.

By 1970, the AMA had broadened the system of terms and classification codes to include diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in surgery, medicine, and the specialties as well as procedures relating to internal medicine. This timeframe also coincided with the introduction of the five-digit numeric coding system. With the release of the fourth edition of CPT in 1977, the AMA introduced a system for periodic updating of the codes to keep up with the ever-changing medical environment.

The AMA is responsible for all decisions for additions, deletions, or revisions of the CPT codes. CPT codes are updated annually.