The American Medical Association released updates Sept. 11 to its Current Procedural Terminology code set for 2026.
Five things to know:
1. The 2026 CPT code set includes 418 total changes: 288 new codes, 84 deletions and 46 revisions.
2. Proprietary laboratory analyses and Category III CPT codes for emerging medical services each make up 27% of the new codes. Other updates include new codes for digital health services such as remote patient monitoring, medical services involving hearing devices and augmented intelligence, and a comprehensive update of codes for leg revascularization.
3. The AMA said new clinical research shows patient benefits from remote monitoring over shorter durations than previously captured in the code set. To address the findings, five new codes were created to report remote monitoring services for two-to-15 days within a 30-day period. Two new codes report remote monitoring treatment management after 10 minutes of service per calendar month, down from the previous 20-minute threshold.
4. The AMA added several new codes for augmented intelligence services that enhance physician capabilities and improve patient care. The codes support patient access to “innovative technologies that assist physicians by detecting clinically relevant data that might otherwise go unnoticed, or by analyzing and quantifying data to produce clinically meaningful insights.”
5. New Category I CPT codes are effective for use as of Jan. 1, 2026.
Read the full release here.
