Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes provide a standardized language for describing medical services and procedures performed by healthcare providers. These codes are primarily used for billing and tracking purposes, ensuring uniform communication between physicians, patients, and payers. Because medical technology and clinical practices evolve rapidly, the codes require regular revision to remain accurate and relevant. To help medical coders quickly identify which codes have changed from the previous year, the American Medical Association employs various symbols within the CPT manual.
The Bullet Symbol for Newly Added Codes
The symbol indicating a newly added code is the solid black circle, often called the bullet (•). This distinct indicator is placed immediately to the left of a five-digit CPT code number. The presence of the bullet signifies that the procedure or service is entirely new to the coding system for the current edition. These codes represent services that did not have a specific, billable entry in the previous year’s manual.
Medical coders must pay close attention to these entries because they often describe cutting-edge treatments or previously uncodified services. For example, a newly developed surgical technique or a novel laboratory test would likely receive a bullet symbol when first introduced. Understanding the clinical context and documentation required for these entries is important for accurate reimbursement. The bullet symbol acts as a quick administrative alert to review the full code description and any associated guidelines carefully.
Indicators for Revised Code Descriptions
While the bullet signifies a new code, the solid black triangle (▲) indicates that an existing code’s description has been revised since the prior edition. This distinction is important because the underlying procedure is not new, but the way it must be documented or reported has been altered.
A revision can involve minor wording changes or a significant alteration to the service’s definition. Coders are alerted by the triangle to read the entire text of the code description to understand the precise change and apply the code correctly. Failing to observe a revised description could lead to claim denials or audits. Opposing triangles (►◄) are used to bracket new or revised text within the guidelines, instructional notes, or parenthetical notes, making it easier to spot updates to the rules.
Tracking Deleted and Resequenced Codes
When a procedure or service becomes obsolete or is consolidated with another code, the original CPT number is marked as deleted. In the manual, a deleted code is typically represented by a placeholder note indicating that the code is no longer valid for use in the current year. Using a deleted code will automatically result in a claim denial, making this administrative note extremely important.
Another type of administrative change involves the resequencing of codes, which occurs when a code is moved out of its strict numerical order to be grouped with related services. This happens to maintain the thematic consistency of the CPT manual, helping coders find related procedures more easily. The hash symbol, or pound sign, (#) is used to indicate that a code has been resequenced and appears numerically out of order.