The American Medical Association (AMA) introduced a new subsection, “Telemedicine Services,” to the Evaluation and Management (E/M) section for 2025 along with seventeen new telemedicine codes and new telemedicine coding guidelines. The new CPT Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codes effective as of January 1, 2025, which better reflect the resources needed to provide these services, are divided into encounters that take place through a real-time audio and video connection or a real-time audio-only connection.
The telemedicine codes follow the basic structure of the current office/other outpatient E/M codes. The provider will need to clearly document the type of connection used for the telemedicine services to assign the correct CPT code. These interactive HIPAA-compliant encounters must be performed by a physician or qualified health care professional (QHP). Codes are selected based on whether the patient is new or established and whether medical decision-making (MDM) or time is used to select the level for the service. For 2025, codes 98000-98007 were established to capture synchronous (real-time) audio-video E/M office services, and codes 98008-98015 were established for synchronous (real-time) audio-only E/M services.
Highlights from new telemedicine guidelines:
- For 98000-98015, the level of service is selected based on MDM or total time on the date of the encounter. The encounter must include at least ten minutes of medical discussion.
- Codes 98000- 98007 may be reported for new or established patients. Synchronous audio and video telecommunication is required. Codes 98000-98003 are used for new patients and require 15-60 minutes of total time or medical decision-making (MDM). Codes 98004-98007 are used for established patients and require 10-40 minutes or total time or MDM. These audio-video codes include a range of MDM from straightforward to high.
- For audio-only codes 98008- 98015, the service must exceed 10 minutes of medical discussion. Codes 98008-98011 are used for new patients and require 15-60 minutes of total time or MDM. Codes 98012-98014 are used for established patients and require 10-40 minutes of total time or MDM. These audio-only codes include a range of MDM from straightforward to high.
- If during the encounter, audio-video connections are lost and only audio communication is restored, report the service that made up most of the service (audio only or audio-video).
- If a telemedicine office visit is performed on the same date as another E/M service, the elements and time of these services are summed together to avoid duplicate reporting.
- The new guidelines also include a Telemedicine and Non-Face-to Face Services table, which provides additional guidance for reporting the new codes and other online and non-face-to-face E/M services codes. The new synchronous codes are remarkably similar but have some significant differences, so the table is provided to guide the coder on the correct telemedicine code assignment.
For 2025, AMA also added new code 98016 for a brief synchronous communication technology service (e.g., virtual check-in) and the code is reported for established patients only. The new code 98016 replaces code G2012 for brief communication technology-based service. The service is patient-initiated, and the service is intended to evaluate whether a more extensive visit type is required. This service also requires at least five to ten minutes of medical discussion and is not allowed to be used if the patient has seen the provider within seven days before the visit.
Please see below for a full listing of the new 2025 CPT telemedicine codes and their descriptions.
Synchronous Audio-Video E/M Services – New Patient
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 98000 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and straightforward medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 15 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98001 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and low medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 30 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98002 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and moderate medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 45 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98003 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and high medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 60 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
Synchronous Audio-Video E/M Services – Established Patient
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 98004 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and straightforward medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 10 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98005 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and low medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 20 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98006 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and moderate medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 30 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98007 | Synchronous audio-video visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and high medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 40 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
Synchronous Audio-Only E/M Services – New Patient
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 98008 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, straightforward medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 15 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98009 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, low medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 30 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98010 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, moderate medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 45 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98011 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, high medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 60 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
Synchronous Audio-Only E/M Services – Established Patient Code Description
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 98012 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, straightforward medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 10 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98013 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, low medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 20 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98014 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, moderate medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 30 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
| 98015 | Synchronous audio-only visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination, high medical decision making, and more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 40 minutes must be met or exceeded. |
Brief Synchronous Communication Technology Service (e.g., Virtual Check-In)
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 98016 | Brief communication technology-based service (e.g., virtual check-in) by a physician or other qualified health care professional who can report evaluation and management services, provided to an established patient, not originating from a related evaluation and management service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an evaluation and management service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment, 5-10 minutes of medical discussion. |
The introduction of new codes and revisions to existing ones reflects the ongoing evolution of medical practices, technology, and treatments. These changes are designed to improve documentation and streamline reimbursement processes, enabling healthcare providers to deliver high-quality care while meeting regulatory and financial requirements. Download our eBook, 2025 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Code Set Overview, for more details on these and other changes.
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