Developed by the American Medical Association (AMA), the CPT coding is a standard code applied to procedures and services for the purpose of patient records. 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 substantiate widespread use and clinical efficiency. So if you are someone who adopts the new technology, there is a good chance that you are familiar with the type III category 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 that comprise five digits, with four digits followed by 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 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 enough to the Category III code
* Determine fee schedule for Category III code using the same methodology as for unlisted procedures
* Monitor refunds closely
The AMA 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.