AMA Finalizes CPT Codes for Third Doses of Moderna, Pfizer Vaccines

The American Medical Association (AMA) announced that the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for the third doses of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are effective for immediate use.

The CPT Editorial Panel accelerated the new CPT code for the third dose of the Moderna vaccine following the recent authorization for booster shots. The AMA released the administration CPT code for the Pfizer booster shot at the end of July.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccines first for immunocompromised individuals.

“Given that CDC data shows some immunocompromised patients lack the antibodies needed to fight COVID-19 infection, adding an additional dose to the primary series for this population can help protect these individuals from unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths,” Gerald Harmon, MD, president of AMA, said in response to the FDA’s authorization.

The CDC recently announced that Pfizer and Moderna booster shots will be available to all Americans starting in the fall, pending FDA approval.

The CPT codes and long descriptors will be used to report the vaccine administrations and update electronic health records with any counseling patients may receive.  

AMA’s code finder resource lays out the CPT codes for every type of COVID-19 vaccine and each accompanying dose number.

The CPT Editorial Panel manages an open editorial process when it comes to creating CPT codes. The panel ensures that the codes will work smoothly with the modern healthcare system including the coding demands of digital health, augmented intelligence, and precision medicine, the AMA press release noted.

The CPT code and long descriptor for the third dose administration of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are as follows:

0013A - Immunization administration by intramuscular injection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) vaccine, mRNA-LNP, spike protein, preservative free, 100 mcg/0.5 mL dosage; third dose

The CPT code and long descriptor for the third dose administration of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are as follows:

0003A - Immunization administration by intramuscular injection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) vaccine, mRNA-LNP, spike protein, preservative free, 30 mcg/0.3 mL dosage, diluent reconstituted; third dose

The AMA has been vocal about its support for COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.

“It is critical that all people in the healthcare workforce get vaccinated against COVID-19 for the safety of our patients and our colleagues,” Susan R. Bailey, MD, immediate past president of the AMA, stated in a recent announcement.

“With more than 300 million doses administered in the United States and nearly 4 billion doses administered worldwide, we know the vaccines are safe and highly effective at preventing severe illness and death from COVID-19,” she concluded. “Increased vaccinations among health care personnel will not only reduce the spread of COVID-19 but also reduce the harmful tolls this virus is taking within the healthcare workforce and those we are striving to serve.”