September 2026 CPT Editorial Panel Meeting Agenda Released
The agenda for the upcoming CPT Editorial Panel (Panel) meeting has been released. The Panel will meet in Minneapolis, MN, from September 17 to 19, 2026.
Updates to the proposed agenda will be posted on August 14, September 4, and September 11. Public comments from interested parties are due by August 10. CPT advisors from medical specialty societies will also submit comments. The Panel will consider all comments during its deliberations.
This is the final of three Panel meetings for the 2028 CPT cycle. Category I codes approved at this meeting that require survey by the RVS Update Committee (RUC) will be surveyed for the January 2027 RUC meeting. RUC recommendations are then submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for their consideration.
Agenda Highlights
Since this is the final meeting of the 2028 cycle, the agenda is quite busy, with over 90 tabs for Cat I and Cat III codes - although code proposals may be withdrawn prior to the meeting. Cat I codes are permanent codes for widely performed established medical procedures. Cat III codes are temporary codes for emerging technologies, services, and procedures.
There continues to be a growing number of code proposals for services that include elements of artificial intelligence (AI) or augmentative algorithmic analysis in CPT-speak. The agenda for the September 2026 meeting includes:
49 Cat I code proposals, of which four seem to fall into the AI category.
40 Cat III code proposals, of which three seem to fall into the AI category.
Three proposals to revise definitions, guidelines, etc.
One proposal to revise the Pathology/Laboratory code change application. The changes are being proposed in part to accommodate AI-related issues.
(I classified a code proposal as an AI tab based on its description included in the agenda.)
Clinically Meaningful Algorithmic Analyses (CMAA) – Not on the Agenda
At the last meeting, the Panel approved changes to Appendix S, which outlines the coding framework for AI-related codes. Previously, the Panel had been discussing the creation of a new code category for codes that include AI but do not include professional work. This category was referred to as Clinically Meaningful Algorithmic Analyses (CMAA). Although this topic does not appear on the September 2026 meeting agenda, the Panel is expected to continue exploring it and may hold future public meetings to gather stakeholder input.
Meeting registration is expected to open shortly. On-site and virtual registration options will be available. More information about the meeting can be found HERE.
__________________
For more information and questions, please contact:
Sheila Madhani
Madhani Healthcare Consulting
Email: smadhani@madhani-health.com
Tel: (202) 679-2977