Summary of CPT 2026 Code Changes
Effective Date: Jan 1st, 2026
Executive Overview
The 2026 CPT code set introduces a total of 418 changes across various medical specialties. The largest proportions of these updates are concentrated within Proprietary Lab Analysis (27%) and Category III Services (27%).
Overall Code Change Breakdown
| CPT 2026 Metrics | Code Count |
| New codes | 288 |
| Revised codes | 46 |
| Deleted codes | 84 |
| Total changes | 418 |
Breakdown by CPT Section
| CPT Section | New | Deleted | Revised |
| Evaluation & Management | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Anesthesia | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Surgery | 77 | 24 | 12 |
| Radiology | 8 | 9 | 3 |
| Pathology & Laboratory | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| Medicine | 37 | 17 | 18 |
| PLA Codes | 79 | 13 | 3 |
| Category III | 78 | 21 | 4 |
| Totals | 288 | 84 | 46 |
Evaluation & Management (E&M)
| Addition | Revision | Deletion | Total Changes |
| 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) & Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)
The expansion of RPM and RTM services continues to grow to allow greater practice flexibility.
- Shorter Collection Windows: New codes allow reporting for data collection periods spanning 2 to 15 days, removing the previous strict 16-day minimum requirement.
- 99453 & 99454: Revised codes.
- 99445: A new code introduced for reporting the supply of the device and daily recording or programmed transmission for 2 to 15 days in a 30-day period.
- Lower Volume Monitoring: A new code covers 10 minutes of clinical staff time spent managing a patient’s remote data in a 30-day period.
- 99470: Added for the first 10 minutes of remote physiologic monitoring treatment.
- 99457 & 99458: Revised as a result of the addition of code 99470.
Coding Tip: Document exactly how many days of data were collected, which device was used, and how much time was spent reviewing or managing the results.
Surgery: Sub-Section Breakdown
| Surgery Sub-Section | New | Deleted | Revised |
| Integumentary | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Musculoskeletal | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Respiratory | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cardiovascular | 48 | 20 | 4 |
| Lymphatic/Hemic | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mediastinum/Diaphragm | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Digestive | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Urinary | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Male/Female Genital/OB | 12 | 2 | 2 |
| Endocrine | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nervous | 11 | 0 | 3 |
| Eye and Ocular Adnexa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Auditory | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 77 | 24 | 12 |
Surgery: Integumentary System
| Addition | Revision | Deletion | Total Changes |
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 9* |
(Note: Slide data displays 9 total changes for this sub-section due to overarching category revisions).
Revisions
- CPT 10040 Revision: The descriptor text has been revised to replace the term “Acne surgery” with “Extraction.”
- Historical (2025) Description: Acne surgery (eg, marsupialization, opening or removal of multiple milia, comedones, cysts, pustules).
Surgery: Musculoskeletal System
| Addition | Revision | Deletion | Total Changes |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Additions
- 27458: Osteotomy(ies), femur, unilateral, with insertion of an externally controlled intramedullary lengthening device, including iliotibial band release when performed, imaging, alignment assessments, computations of adjustment schedules, and management of the intramedullary lengthening device.
- Instruction: Do not report 27458 in conjunction with 27450, 27466, 27470, 27472, or 27506.
- Instruction: Do not report 27458 in conjunction with 27450, 27466, 27470, 27472, or 27506.
- 27713: Osteotomy(ies), tibia, including fibula when performed, unilateral, with insertion of an externally controlled intramedullary lengthening device, including imaging, alignment assessments, computations of adjustment schedules, and management of the intramedullary lengthening device.
- Instruction: Do not report 27713 in conjunction with 27705, 27709, 27712, 27715, 27720, 27722, 27724, or 2775.
Deletions
| Deleted Code | Description | Suggested Replacement Code |
| 27445 | Arthroplasty, knee, hinge prosthesis (eg, Walldius type) | 27447, 27487 |
| 27468 | Osteoplasty, femur; combined, lengthening and shortening with femoral segment transfer | N/A |
Revisions
| Code | 2026 Long Description | 2025 Long Description |
| 27278 | Arthrodesis, sacroiliac joint, percutaneous or minimally invasive, with image guidance, includes obtaining bone graft when performed, unilateral; placement of intra-articular device(s), without cortical piercing | Arthrodesis, sacroiliac joint, percutaneous, with image guidance, including placement of intra-articular implant(s) (eg, bone allograft[s], synthetic device[s]), without placement of transfixation device |
| 27279 | Arthrodesis, sacroiliac joint, percutaneous or minimally invasive, with image guidance, includes obtaining bone graft when performed, unilateral; placement of transarticular device(s) and/or intra-articular device(s) piercing the lateral or medial cortices of the ilium and the lateral cortex of the sacrum | Arthrodesis, sacroiliac joint, percutaneous or minimally invasive (indirect visualization), with image guidance, includes obtaining bone graft when performed, and placement of transfixation device |
Surgery: Cardiovascular System
| Addition | Revision | Deletion | Total Changes |
| 48 | 4 | 20 | 72 |
Major Additions & Deletions
- Code Family Deletion: The entire code family 37220–37235 has been completely deleted.
- Code Family Replacement: Replaced with 46 new codes (37254–37299) to better reflect modern clinical practice.
- Structural Shift: The code structure is now organized into four vascular territory-based subsections featuring updated guidelines explaining procedures and proper reporting.
- Inclusion of Component Work: Previous codes did not explicitly describe essential procedural components like access, catheterization, lesion crossing, imaging guidance, and S&I (Supervision and Interpretation). New codes explicitly bundle and describe all of this work.
Revision Rationale – Revascularization
- Focuses closely on defined vascular territories rather than individual arteries.
- Introduces a brand new inframalleolar territory (37296–37299) which previously had no distinct coding pathways.
- Lesion Complexity Levels are explicitly integrated into the new framework:
- Straightforward = Stenosis
- Complex = Occlusion (Note: Must be 100% occluded to qualify as Complex)
- Within each vascular territory, codes follow a highly consistent hierarchy:
- Primary Codes: Treatment of the initial vessel.
- Add-on Codes: Each additional vessel treated.
Addition
Vascular Territory 1: Iliac Territory
Arteries Included: Common Iliac Artery (CIA), External Iliac Artery (EIA), Internal Iliac Artery (IIA).
| Code Range | Lesion Complexity | Intervention Type | Arteries Included | Notes |
| 37254–37255 | Straightforward | Angioplasty / Stent / Atherectomy | CIA, EIA, IIA | Primary Vessel |
| 37256–37257 | Complex | Angioplasty / Stent / Atherectomy | CIA, EIA, IIA | Primary Vessel |
| 37258–37259 | Straightforward | Additional Intervention | Additional Iliac Vessels | Additional Vessel |
| 37260–37261 | Complex | Additional Intervention | Additional Iliac Vessels | Additional Vessel |
| 37262–37263 | Mixed Interventions | Additional Intervention | Any Iliac Artery | Combo Therapy |
Vascular Territory 2: Femoral-Popliteal Territory
Arteries Included: Common Femoral Artery (CFA), Profunda Femoris (Deep Femoral), Superficial Femoral Artery (SFA), Popliteal Artery (P1, P2, P3 Segments).
| Code Range | Lesion Complexity | Intervention Type | Arteries Included | Notes |
| 37264–37267 | Straightforward | Angioplasty / Stent / Atherectomy | CFA, Profunda, SFA, Popliteal | Primary Vessel |
| 37268–37271 | Complex | Angioplasty / Stent / Atherectomy | CFA, Profunda, SFA, Popliteal | Primary Vessel |
| 37272–37275 | Straightforward | Additional Intervention | Additional Fem-Pop Vessels | Additional Vessel |
| 37276–37279 | Complex | Additional Intervention | Additional Fem-Pop Vessels | Additional Vessel |
*Note: Text on slide indicates “Additional Fem-Pop Vessels” for these code ranges; double-check clinical guidelines if this represents a cross-territory exception.
Stay tuned for more updates….