Tuesday, November 15, 2022

CPT Web Page for Feb Meeting; New Tumor Genomics Lab Codes!

CPT has set up a web page with agendas and registration for the February 2-4, 2023 Editorial Panel meeting.  The format will be "hybrid," with the bricks & mortar part in La Jolla.

Find the web page here:

https://www.ama-assn.org/about/events/cpt-editorial-panel-hcpac-annual-meeting

CPT applications were due November 2, and the submitted items are released in two tranches:

  • The first agenda release is lab codes, because lab codes must go through multiple subcommittees and need an early start; 
  • Other CPT codes (non-lab) will be released later.   
  • Process: 
    • The title of the code is released, and interested parties can request a confidential information packet on the code of interest, and after reading it, submit comments.   
    • This process moves VERY fast for lab codes so check the new online code list agenda quickly.   

New Tumor Genomics Codes

Over the past six months, workgroups have been working to revise the tumor genomics codes, accommodating trending topics like TMB, so this editorial cycle may be of more than typical interest. Requests are submitted, logged, responded via an AMA web portal called ZenDesk.  Request by November 21, submit comment, if any, by December 2.  

Revisions finalized either at this February 2023 CPT meeting, or at a fallback CPT meeting in May 2023, will be priced by CMS in summer 2023 and published for use starting January 2024.

See the lab item agenda here:

https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/feb-2023-path-lab-agenda.pdf

Early-Appearing Updates Are Out

The new CPT 2023 annual code book has been published, and includes several new tumor genomcis codes to distinguish DNA/RNA for tumor testing (e.g. 5-50 genes, 51+ genes) such as DNA, or RNA-DNA, or RNA analysis.   The reforms for the February 2023 discussion continue this trend but will be more complex.