The American Medical Association released the CPT 2027 code set with 299 new codes, including 10 additions that bring the total number of AI-related billing codes to 43. The update, which takes effect January 1, 2027, comes as the AMA faces a federal lawsuit challenging its copyright over the codes that physicians, insurers, and the government are required to use for electronic billing.
"Medicine advances at an extraordinary pace, and the CPT code set must advance with it," said AMA President Dr. Willie Underwood III. "By bringing physicians and other healthcare experts together through a rigorous, open process, CPT provides a clinically grounded foundation for describing new and evolving services, supporting accurate data exchange, and helping move promising innovations into clinical practice."
The 453 total editorial changes include 299 new codes, 74 revisions, and 80 deletions. Key updates span maternity care, ventricular assist device procedures, hernia repair, prostate biopsy, biofeedback, radiology, and sleep medicine. The CPT code set serves as the uniform language for classifying medical procedures and services for billing and reimbursement, and federal law requires its use in electronic transactions.
AI-related codes expand to 43
The 10 new AI codes reflect what the AMA described as better descriptions of AI-related services. The additions push the total from 33 to 43, signaling steady growth in how payers and providers formally document artificial intelligence in clinical workflows. The AMA said CPT data also supports value-based care, access to preventive services, quality measurement, and research and analytics.
Legal challenge over code access
Last month, PatientRightsAdvocate.org filed a lawsuit arguing the AMA's copyright and the fees charged to access CPT codes are unlawful. The AMA charges providers an upfront annual fee of $82.50 plus $18.50 per user each year, according to the complaint. PRA said it would make the codes freely available to the public if it wins.
An AMA spokesperson responded that the organization "will vigorously defend the AMA's intellectual property rights to ensure the continued access physicians and patients rely on." The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is accepting comments through September 14 on potential alternatives to the national coding standard, given its reliance on a private organization.
Why this matters for healthcare professionals
The 2027 code set won't hit your billing workflow until January, but the window to prepare is now. If your practice or department uses AI-assisted diagnostics, scheduling, or clinical decision support, check whether the expanded codes affect how you document those services. The PRA lawsuit adds uncertainty: a ruling against the AMA could reshape how coding tools are priced and distributed. Track CMS's comment period if your organization wants input on alternatives to the current system.
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