2026 Coding Companion for Cardiology/Cardiothoracic Surgery/Vascular Surgery

Consolidate the coding process with the Coding Companion, your one-stop coding resource developed exclusively for cardiology, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery specialties. This comprehensive and easy-to-use guide is updated for 2026 and organized by specialty-specific CPT codes. Each CPT code includes its official description and lay description, coding tip, Medicare edits, and relative value units and is cross-coded to common ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes to complete the coding process. Getting to the code information you need has never been so easy.Key Features and Benefits: Evaluation and Management (E/M) Services Guidelines – E/M codes are used every day in your practice. With CPT E/M Guidelines and our Optum Coding Tips, you have all the information you need to select the correct E/M code for the service provided.Quickly find information. All the information you need is provided, including CPT® full code descriptions, lay descriptions, coding tips, post op or follow-up days, Medicare edits including IOM references and Medicare Unlikely Edit designations (MUE), and commonly associated ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes.Procedure code icons – Quickly identify new, revised, add-on, and telemedicine procedure codes, making your coding process for procedures and E/M services quick and efficient.ICD-10-CM code icons – Icons identify age-related and laterality diagnosis codes.Easily determine fees for your practice and reinforce consistency in the charges. Relative value units including the practice, work, and malpractice components with the total RVUs for non-facility and facility are included.CPT Assistant references. Identifies that an article or discussion of the CPT code has been in the American Medical Association’s CPT Assistant newsletter. Use the citation to locate the correct volume.Avoid claim denials and/or audits. Medicare payer information includes references to Internet Only Manual (IOM) guidelines, follow-up days, and assistant-at-surgery.CCI edits. CPT and HCPCS procedure codes with their associated CCI edits are provided in a special section.Product Updates. CCI edit updates and other significant updates are available online at Optumcoding.com Product Update page for our valued Coding Companion customers.CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association." Read more