2026 Coding Debrief: Lessons, Questions, and Next Steps-2026 PCI Coding Changes Brochure

2026 PCI Coding Changes Brochure

Pdf Summary

The 2026 PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) CPT coding updates introduce significant changes aimed at streamlining and clarifying coding for coronary interventions. Key revisions include:<br /><br />1. Stenting Codes:<br />- CPT 92928 covers placement of intracoronary stents with angioplasty for a single major coronary artery and/or its branches, treating one lesion involving one or more coronary segments.<br />- CPT 92930 addresses two or more distinct coronary lesions requiring stenting in two or more segments or a bifurcation lesion with stenting/angioplasty in both main and side branches.<br /><br />2. Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) Codes:<br />- CPT 92943 applies to percutaneous transluminal revascularization of CTOs via an antegrade approach in a coronary artery, branch, or bypass graft, involving any combination of stents, atherectomy, and angioplasty.<br />- CPT 92945 involves the same revascularization using combined antegrade and retrograde approaches.<br /><br />3. Deleted Codes:<br />Several branch add-on codes for angioplasty, atherectomy, stenting, bypass graft interventions, and CTO interventions have been deleted (e.g., 92921, 92925, 92929, 92934, 92938, 92944). Additionally, thrombolysis codes 92975 and 92977 have been discontinued.<br /><br />4. Coding Conventions and Definitions:<br />- All work within a major coronary artery and its branches is reported with a single code, eliminating add-on branch codes.<br />- Treatments on native coronary arteries and bypass grafts are coded separately.<br />- Separate major coronary arteries with lesions are reportable individually.<br />- Single lesion stenting is reported via 92928 regardless of stent number or coronary segments.<br />- Bifurcation lesions requiring stenting of main and side branches are reported with 92930.<br /><br />5. Other updates include minor descriptor changes to codes 92973, 93571, and 93572.<br /><br />Major coronary arteries are defined as left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, right, and ramus intermedius arteries, with branches specified up to two per artery except for left main and ramus intermedius.<br /><br />These changes reflect an effort to better capture procedural complexity while simplifying code usage by removing branch add-ons and consolidating reporting criteria. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) provides this guidance for proper CPT code utilization but recommends legal counsel for reimbursement or clinical judgment matters.

Keywords

2026 PCI CPT coding updates

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

coronary stenting codes

chronic total occlusion codes

CPT 92928

CPT 92930

CPT 92943

CPT 92945

deleted CPT codes

coronary artery coding conventions