What is the main purpose of CPT codes?

The main purpose of CPT codes is to describe medical, surgical, and diagnostic services and procedures. These codes provide a standardized language for reporting and documenting the diverse range of services provided by healthcare practitioners, enabling effective communication among healthcare professionals, insurance companies, and patients.

By using CPT codes, healthcare providers can precisely identify the specific services rendered, which plays a critical role in billing and reimbursement processes. This system not only helps in coding procedures for accurate payment but also assists in clinical documentation and data collection for healthcare trends, research, and quality improvement initiatives.

The other options, while related to patient care and healthcare administration, do not reflect the primary function of CPT codes. Documenting patient history and tracking appointments are important aspects of patient management but are not the focus of CPT coding. Regulation of medical billing processes can involve a broader range of codes, including ICD and HCPCS, rather than being specific to the purpose of CPT codes.