ASRA recently joined several other societies in signing on to a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services urging immediate implementation for CPT code 99072 without patient cost-sharing during the public health emergency. 

The American Medical Association (AMA) released the new CPT code in September for use when billing for additional administrative expenses related to COVID-19. It was developed to report the additional supplies, materials, and clinical staff time over and above the practice expense(s) included in an office visit or other non-facility service(s) when performed during a public health emergency (PHE), as defined by law, due to respiratory-transmitted infectious disease.

The AMA previously reported that a majority of physicians reported ongoing revenue losses, exacerbated by the additional costs of infection control protocols and personal protective equipment. For example, the costs of cleaning products and fascial masks, additional staff time for pre-visit instructions and symptom checks, and implementation of social distancing measures have added significant costs to physicians' practices.