Counseling for Smoking Cessation Gets Its Own CPT Codes

CHICAGO, Oct. 17 -- Physicians will be able to report smoking cessation counseling efforts soon using two new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes that address tobacco use specifically.

The new Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes -- 99406 and 99407 -- were published on Oct. 8 and will become effective on Jan. 1, 2008. Because they represent distinct services, they can be reported in addition to an E&M service code, but they should not be used with 99420, another preventive medical services code.

Codes 99406 and 99407 should be used to report services provided face to face by a physician or other qualified health care professional, using "standardized, evidence-based screening instruments and tools with reliable documentation and appropriate sensitivity."

The choice of code depends on the time spent with the patient. The 99406 code should be used to report an intermediate visit of between three and 10 minutes, and 99407 should be reported for an intensive visit lasting longer than 30 minutes.

Addition of these codes and two others for alcohol and substance abuse counseling (See: New CPT Codes for Substance Abuse Screening) expands the Preventive Medicine Services subsection of Current Procedural Terminology. The new codes can be found under a new subheading entitled Behavior Change Interventions, Individual.

Reporting the new codes, however, does not guarantee that insurers will reimburse for them.