CPT®

CPT® code 97140: Manual therapy techniques, each 15 minutes

3 Min Read

CPT® code 97140: Manual therapy techniques, 1 or more regions, each 15 minutes (Mobilization/manipulation, manual lymphatic drainage, manual traction)

As the authority on the CPT® code set, the AMA is providing the top-searched codes to help remove obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care. These codes, among the rest of the CPT code set, are clinically valid and updated on a regular basis to accurately reflect current clinical practice and innovation in medicine.

Overview

The clinical examples and their procedural descriptions, which reflect typical clinical situations found in the health care setting, are included in this text with many of the codes to provide practical situations for which the codes would be appropriately reported. It is important to note that these examples do not suggest limiting the use of a code instead, they are meant to represent the typical patient and service or procedure. In addition, they do not describe the universe of patients for whom the service or procedure would be appropriate.

Typical patient description

A patient presents with two month history of pain in neck, shoulder, and upper back with soft tissue tightness and hypo-mobility in the cervical and upper thoracic spine. Direct one-on-one manual therapy services are provided.

Care components

Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection (specify substance or drug); subcutaneous or intramuscular.

About the CPT code set

Medical knowledge and science are constantly advancing, so the CPT Editorial Panel manages an extensive process to make sure the CPT code set advances with it. The Panel obtains broad input from practicing physicians and the health care community to ensure that the CPT code set reflects the coding demands of digital health, precision medicine, augmented intelligence and other aspects of a modern health care system. This rigorous process keeps the CPT code set current with contemporary medical science and technology, so it can fulfill its vital role as the language of medicine today and the code to its future.

Additional CPT resources


Disclaimer: Information provided by the AMA contained within this resource is for medical coding guidance purposes only. It does not (i) supersede or replace the AMA’s Current Procedural Terminology manual (“CPT® Manual”) or other coding authority, (ii) constitute clinical advice, (iii) address or dictate payer coverage or reimbursement policy, and (iv) substitute for the professional judgement of the practitioner performing a procedure, who remains responsible for correct coding.

CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.

FEATURED STORIES

Abe Sutton, JD, CMS director, on the AMA Moving Medicine video podcast

New voluntary CMS pay model encourages use of health tech

| 5 Min Read
Young adult in a telehealth appointment

New data details how telehealth use varies by physician specialty

| 4 Min Read
Mom holding baby gets medicine from doctor

The AMA is committed to reversing the maternal mortality crisis

| 5 Min Read
Young child  holding throat with pained expression

What doctors wish patients knew about strep throat

| 11 Min Read