What’s in AHA Coding Clinic for HCPCS, Second Quarter 2026?

The Second Quarter 2026 issue of the AHA Coding Clinic for HCPCS newsletter was released June 22, 2026. Here are some highlights!

Impact of April 2026 NCCI Updates on Hospital Outpatient and ASC Coding: Category III Codes and Territory-Based Revascularization

The newsletter begins with an overview of the April 2026 quarterly update to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) and its effects on outpatient procedural coding. CMS’s latest release is notable for the scale of change, including thousands of newly introduced and deleted edit pairs, as well as newly established unit limits. These updates reflect a broader effort to align coding practices with modern clinical workflows and emerging technologies.  

2026 Surgery Section CPT Code Update

The newsletter provides an overview of selected 2026 changes to the Surgery Guidelines and to CPT codes within the musculoskeletal system. The intent is to assist outpatient facility coders accurately apply the updated coding guidelines and rationale. For 2026, CPT has introduced new and revised coding guidelines throughout the Surgery section, including:

• 1 code created and 1 code deleted in the Repair, Revision, and/or Reconstruction subsection of the Musculoskeletal System: Femur (Thigh Region) and Knee Joint section;
• 1 code created in the Repair, Revision, and/or Reconstruction subsection of the Leg (Tibia and Fibula) and Ankle Joint section; and
• 1 code created in the Digestive System subsection for the stomach.

For more in-depth coding guidelines, refer to the current CPT codebook for the updated rationale and parenthetical notes.

For Your Information

HCPCS Level II Codes

The newsletter addresses a subset of the new, deleted, and revised HCPCS Level II codes effective April 1, 2026, including:

• 66 new HCPCS Level II codes,
• 6 deleted HCPCS Level II codes, and  
• 5 revised HCPCS Level II codes.  

New CPT Code for Vaccines

There are 2 new vaccine CPT codes effective July 1, 2026.

New CPT PLA Codes

Finally, the newsletter provides an overview of the recent changes to the CPT Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) codes, including:

• 29 new codes,
• 4 deleted codes, and  
• 2 revised codes.  

These changes have an effective date of July 1, 2026.  

For a full listing of the code changes, see the HCPCS Quarterly Update file.

Ask the Editor

The newsletter includes coding advice for 7 questions on the following topics:

• Endoscopic Bladder Stone Removal Via Percutaneous Cystotomy
• Spinal Cord Stimulator System
• Popliteal Nerve Block
• Needle-Knife Stricturoplasty
• Breast Implant Revision
• Correction: First Quarter 2023, Question 2: Necrotizing Soft Tissue Debridement
• Loose Patellar Component Removal  

Please refer to the CPT codebook for additional, comprehensive reporting guidelines and the full list of the code changes on CMS’s website.  

As always, please read the Second Quarter 2026 volume of AHA Coding Clinic for HCPCS entirely for the best source of medical coding information.