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Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT) is a therapeutic approach that involves the application of controlled, sudden force and twisting movements to the spine and extraspinal regions. The primary goal of CMT is to alleviate pressure on the nervous system, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall nerve function. This treatment modality can be utilized independently or in conjunction with various supportive therapies, including exercise regimens, lifestyle changes, nutritional guidance, trigger point massage, electrical muscle stimulation, and ultrasound therapy. CMT is particularly beneficial for patients experiencing a range of conditions such as back and neck pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, sciatica, myofascial pain, spinal stenosis, and discomfort in the chest wall. The specific CPT® code 98940 is designated for chiropractic manipulative treatment targeting 1-2 regions of the spine, while other codes are available for treatments involving additional regions, such as code 98941 for 3-4 regions, code 98942 for 5 regions, and code 98943 for 1 or more extraspinal regions.
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Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT) is indicated for a variety of conditions that affect the spine and surrounding areas. The following are explicitly provided indications for the use of CMT:
The procedure for chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT) involves several key steps that are performed by a qualified chiropractor. Each step is designed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the treatment.
Post-procedure care following chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT) is essential for optimizing recovery and ensuring the effectiveness of the treatment. Patients may experience some soreness or discomfort in the treated areas, which is typically mild and temporary. It is important for patients to follow any specific post-treatment instructions provided by the chiropractor, which may include recommendations for rest, hydration, and gentle stretching exercises. Additionally, patients are encouraged to monitor their symptoms and report any significant changes or concerns to their healthcare provider. Regular follow-up appointments may be scheduled to assess progress and make any necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.
| Short Descr | CHIROPRACT MANJ 1-2 REGIONS | Medium Descr | CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATIVE TX SPINAL 1-2 REGIONS | Long Descr | Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT); spinal, 1-2 regions | Status Code | Active Code | Global Days | 000 - Endoscopic or Minor Procedure | PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) | 0 - Physician Service Code | Multiple Procedures (51) | 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply. | Bilateral Surgery (50) | 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply. | Physician Supervisions | 09 - Concept does not apply. | Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) | 0 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure... | Co-Surgeons (62) | 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Team Surgery (66) | 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure. | Diagnostic Imaging Family | 99 - Concept Does Not Apply | APC Status Indicator | STV-Packaged Codes | Type of Service (TOS) | 1 - Medical Care | Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) | O1B - Chiropractic | MUE | 1 | CCS Clinical Classification | 163 - Other non-OR therapeutic procedures on musculoskeletal system |
| AT | Acute treatment (this modifier should be used when reporting service 98940, 98941, 98942) | GA | Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case | AQ | Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa) | GY | Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit | Q6 | Service furnished under a fee-for-time compensation arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area | 59 | Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25. | GZ | Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary | GX | Notice of liability issued, voluntary under payer policy | GW | Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition | KX | Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met | Q5 | Service furnished under a reciprocal billing arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area | XS | Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure | 22 | Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional on the same day of the procedure or other service: it may be necessary to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a cpt code was performed, the patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable e/m service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. a significant, separately identifiable e/m service is defined or substantiated by documentation that satisfies the relevant criteria for the respective e/m service to be reported (see evaluation and management services guidelines for instructions on determining level of e/m service). the e/m service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. as such, different diagnoses are not required for reporting of the e/m services on the same date. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 25 to the appropriate level of e/m service. note: this modifier is not used to report an e/m service that resulted in a decision to perform surgery. see modifier 57 for significant, separately identifiable non-e/m services, see modifier 59. | 26 | Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number. | 50 | Bilateral procedure: unless otherwise identified in the listings, bilateral procedures that are performed at the same session, should be identified by adding modifier 50 to the appropriate 5 digit code. note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d). | 52 | Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use). | 56 | Preoperative management only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performed the preoperative care and evaluation and another performed the surgical procedure, the preoperative component may be identified by adding modifier 56 to the usual procedure number. | 76 | Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 77 | Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service. | 79 | Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.) | 80 | Assistant surgeon: surgical assistant services may be identified by adding modifier 80 to the usual procedure number(s). | 95 | Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system. | 96 | Habilitative services: when a service or procedure that may be either habilitative or rehabilitative in nature is provided for habilitative purposes, the physician or other qualified health care professional may add modifier 96 to the service or procedure code to indicate that the service or procedure provided was a habilitative service. habilitative services help an individual learn skills and functioning for daily living that the individual has not yet developed, and then keep and/or improve those learned skills. habilitative services also help an individual keep, learn, or improve skills and functioning for daily living. | 97 | Rehabilitative services: when a service or procedure that may be either habilitative or rehabilitative in nature is provided for rehabilitative purposes, the physician or other qualified health care professional may add modifier 97 to the service or procedure code to indicate that the service or procedure provided was a rehabilitative service. rehabilitative services help an individual keep, get back, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired because the individual was sick, hurt, or disabled. | A1 | Dressing for one wound | A2 | Dressing for two wounds | A7 | Dressing for seven wounds | AA | Anesthesia services performed personally by anesthesiologist | AB | Audiology service furnished personally by an audiologist without a physician/npp order for non-acute hearing assessment unrelated to disequilibrium, or hearing aids, or examinations for the purpose of prescribing, fitting, or changing hearing aids; service may be performed once every 12 months, per beneficiary | AE | Registered dietician | AF | Specialty physician | AG | Primary physician | AI | Principal physician of record | AJ | Clinical social worker | AP | Determination of refractive state was not performed in the course of diagnostic ophthalmological examination | AR | Physician provider services in a physician scarcity area | AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery | AY | Item or service furnished to an esrd patient that is not for the treatment of esrd | AZ | Physician providing a service in a dental health professional shortage area for the purpose of an electronic health record incentive payment | BA | Item furnished in conjunction with parenteral enteral nutrition (pen) services | CA | Procedure payable only in the inpatient setting when performed emergently on an outpatient who expires prior to admission | CC | Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed) | CQ | Outpatient physical therapy services furnished in whole or in part by a physical therapist assistant | DA | Oral health assessment by a licensed health professional other than a dentist | FA | Left hand, thumb | GC | This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician | GK | Reasonable and necessary item/service associated with a ga or gz modifier | GO | Services delivered under an outpatient occupational therapy plan of care | GP | Services delivered under an outpatient physical therapy plan of care | GT | Via interactive audio and video telecommunication systems | GV | Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider | HA | Child/adolescent program | KE | Bid under round one of the dmepos competitive bidding program for use with non-competitive bid base equipment | KG | Dmepos item subject to dmepos competitive bidding program number 1 | KI | Dmepos item, second or third month rental | KM | Replacement of facial prosthesis including new impression/moulage | KT | Beneficiary resides in a competitive bidding area and travels outside that competitive bidding area and receives a competitive bid item | KZ | New coverage not implemented by managed care | MA | Ordering professional is not required to consult a clinical decision support mechanism due to service being rendered to a patient with a suspected or confirmed emergency medical condition | ME | The order for this service adheres to appropriate use criteria in the clinical decision support mechanism consulted by the ordering professional | NU | New equipment | PT | Colorectal cancer screening test; converted to diagnostic test or other procedure | QA | Prescribed amounts of stationary oxygen for daytime use while at rest and nighttime use differ and the average of the two amounts is less than 1 liter per minute (lpm) | RC | Right coronary artery | RE | Furnished in full compliance with fda-mandated risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (rems) | RT | Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body) | SA | Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician | SE | State and/or federally-funded programs/services | ST | Related to trauma or injury | SY | Persons who are in close contact with member of high-risk population (use only with codes for immunization) | TT | Individualized service provided to more than one patient in same setting | U8 | Medicaid level of care 8, as defined by each state | US | Six or more patients served | X2 | Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services | X4 | Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period | XE | Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter | XU | Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service |
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| 2013-01-01 | Changed | Short Descriptor changed. |
| 2009-01-01 | Changed | Code description changed. |
| 1997-01-01 | Added | First appearance in code book in 1997. |
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