Legal
Patient Advocacy Group Sues AMA Over CPT Code Copyright
PatientRightsAdvocate.org has filed a lawsuit challenging the American Medical Association's copyright of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. The suit argues that because federal law requires use of CPT codes for billing Medicare and Medicaid, the codes should be publicly available rather than copyrighted. The lawsuit does not specify when it was filed or what relief is sought. The outcome could affect provider billing practices and access to coding information across Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Why it mattersA successful challenge could eliminate licensing fees for CPT codes that Medicaid managed care plans and providers currently pay to the AMA for billing compliance.