Highlights of AHA’s Coding Clinic for HCPCS Fourth Quarter 2024 Release

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The Fourth Quarter 2024 issue of the AHA Coding Clinic for HCPCS newsletter was released December 18, 2024. Let’s explore some of the highlights!

The newsletter includes coding advice for 8 questions on the following topics: 

• 1 clarification question about vNOTES hysterectomy
• Right L4-L5 facet joint cyst aspiration and intra-articular corticosteroid injection
• Nail avulsion repair
• Craniectomy
• Dilation of bladder neck contracture/stenosis with endoscopic balloon
• Computer image-guided endoscopy excision of nasal sinus mass
• 2 correction questions regarding
  • Coding Clinic for HCPCS Third Quarter 2023, J2001
  • Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) 

The fourth quarter newsletter begins with a CPT update for the avian influenza vaccine. The H5N8 strain of the avian influenza virus is highly pathogenic and is also known as bird flu. The American Medical Association (AMA) announced in July that there is a newly assigned provisional CPT code for vaccines to protect against the H5N8 strain of the bird flu, which is currently pending Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The fourth quarter newsletter also addresses new, revised, and deleted CPT codes in the Surgery Section. In the urinary system, one Category I code was created due to the conversion of a Category III code that was deleted. In the Female Genital System subsection, a new Category I code was created due to the conversion of a Category III code which was deleted. Finally, in the eye and ocular adnexa section, a new Category I code was created due to the conversion of a Category III code that was deleted.  

Additionally, the newsletter addresses new, deleted, and revised HCPCS Level II codes effective October 1, 2024, including: 

• 58 new HCPCS Level II codes,
• 6 deleted HCPCS Level II codes, and  
• 10 revised HCPCS Level II codes.  

There are also 46 new CPT Category III codes with an effective date of January 1, 2025.

Finally, the newsletter provides updates on new, deleted, and revised CPT Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) codes effective January 1, 2025, including: 

• 10 new PCT PLA codes,
• 5 deleted PCT PLA codes, and
• 2 revised PCT PLA codes. 

Please refer to the CPT codebook for additional and in-depth reporting guidelines.  

As always, please read the Fourth Quarter 2024 volume of AHA Coding Clinic for HCPCS entirely for the best source of medical coding information.