Why are CPT codes important to AT professionals?
CPT codes are important to AT professionals for many reasons. CPT codes are used to report medical services for private and public health insurance systems for purposes of reimbursement, including claims processing. CPT also provides uniformity in language to provide reliable nationwide data collection. One use of this data collection is cost control and management in both private and public health care systems. (Footnote? RESNA Instructional Class.) The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has adopted CPT as part of its Health Care Financing Administrations Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) for use in reporting medical services in Medicare and Medicaid. Examples of Medicare services in which the use of HCPCS is required are hospital outpatient services, skilled nursing facilities outpatient services, occupational therapy and physical therapy services offered in private settings, and services offered in comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities. HCFA has also requi
