Respiratory therapists take care of patients with lung problems. They do tests like pulmonary function tests, give treatments with inhalers, manage mechanical ventilators, and handle emergency breathing help. Each service must be recorded using standard medical codes set by the government and insurance companies.
The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codes, created and kept up to date by the American Medical Association (AMA), are the main way to report medical services in the United States. Every respiratory care treatment has a specific CPT code. These codes help insurance companies decide how much to pay. The CPT codes are reviewed four times a year to keep up with new medical practices and technology. An annual update reflects these changes.
Hospital bosses use CPT codes for respiratory therapy to track work done by therapists, even when payments are grouped under systems like the prospective payment system (PPS). Coding properly ensures services are well documented, helps with staff planning, and supports quality checks.
The AARC represents respiratory therapists across the country and offers many resources for learning and professional growth. It works on advocacy, continuing education, and improving clinical practices. This group helps with changes to CPT codes related to respiratory therapy and makes sure therapists’ views are shared during code updates.
AARC provides:
Medical leaders benefit when their respiratory therapy staff use AARC resources. This helps keep coding correct, which is key for smooth billing and meeting rules.
The AMA creates and updates the official CPT codes. Besides the codes, the AMA offers tools and learning materials to help therapists code well and work faster.
Important AMA resources for respiratory therapists include:
The AMA keeps updating CPT codes, with over 11,000 codes in the 2025 edition, to include new medical procedures and changes in care. This helps ensure correct communication, billing, and data use in healthcare.
Healthcare leaders who give their respiratory therapy teams access to AMA coding education support correct billing, avoid claim denials, and follow payer rules.
Medical practice administrators and IT managers help keep the work smooth between care, coding, and billing teams. Respiratory care has special codes, so these leaders should provide resources that help respiratory therapists stay updated on coding rules.
Managers can:
IT managers should check that facility software matches the latest coding standards and can update CPT codes regularly. They should also look for ways to automate coding checks to reduce manual work.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are becoming part of healthcare work to save time and reduce human mistakes. For respiratory therapy coding and billing, companies like Simbo AI offer AI tools for phone automation that can help the coding process indirectly.
Here is how AI and automation help:
Using AI and automation helps healthcare places follow coding rules and work more efficiently. IT managers should look at tools like Simbo AI that fit with existing EHR and billing systems to get the best results. AI at the front office cuts down bottlenecks and lets respiratory therapists focus more on patients than paperwork.
Respiratory therapists in the United States need to know medical coding well to get paid right and meet the rules. Groups like the AARC and AMA offer complete learning resources, like coding guides, online classes, apps, and communities that provide ongoing help.
Healthcare leaders who focus on coding education and build strong teamwork between clinical and billing staff make billing smoother, tracking better, and patient care stronger. IT managers help by making sure software supports the latest CPT codes and by exploring AI and automation tools for easier workflows.
Respiratory care is a detailed area of service that needs correct coding and good administrative work. Mixing human skills with technology helps respiratory therapists keep standards high and lets healthcare groups run well.
Respiratory therapists primarily help patients breathe better, providing critical respiratory care services.
Healthcare reimbursement is governed by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes assigned to specific services rendered to patients.
The American Medical Association (AMA) establishes and maintains the CPT codes used for reporting medical services and procedures.
Hospitals track individual services to indicate productivity and guide staffing requirements despite being paid under a prospective payment system.
CPT codes are reviewed quarterly by the AMA CPT Editorial Panel and updated annually.
The AARC represents the respiratory care profession in the CPT code review meetings and provides feedback on proposals involving respiratory services.
Respiratory therapists can stay updated by utilizing AARC resources, attending coding communities, and referring to the annual AMA CPT coding book.
The AARC offers coding guidelines, a community for discussions, and RT-specific coding guide resources available for purchase.
Establishing a connection allows managers to access valuable information about code updates and ensures accurate billing practices.
Joining the Coding Community enables members to ask questions, share experiences, and gain insights into effective coding practices from peers.
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