CPT Editorial Panel Process

Medical specialty societies, individual physicians, hospitals, third-party payers and other interested parties may submit applications for changes to CPT for consideration by the CPT editorial panel. The following process is required for a new technology or revised procedure to receive a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Code, receive a value, and establish a Medicare payment.

1. The process begins with review of a Code Change Proposal (CCP) application by the AMA CPT Editorial Panel.

2. After approval by the CPT Editorial Panel, the Society is involved in surveying members and making recommendations for a relative value unit (RVU) at a presentation before the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Update Committee (RUC).

3. CMS reviews the RUC recommendations and makes a final decision about the RVU, and a dollar amount is calculated.

Learn more about the American Medical Association's (AMA) CPT Code Development and Valuation Recommendation Process and view a brief YouTube Video produced by the the AMA: