The American Medical Association (AMA) chose to make an editorial change to a code in the Current Procedural Technology (CPT) book that has the potential to restrict access to the most modern breast reconstruction techniques for women.  Specifically, these procedures are the DIEP, GAP, SIEA, and other hybrid procedures that do not sacrifice much-needed muscles of a woman's body.    

While this may seem like a simple change to the AMA, it created an avenue for BIG INSURANCE to request to delete the codes that providers have historically used within an alternate coding system (HCPCS) that appropriately describe these modern procedures.

We cannot find within the Executive or CPT Editorial Panel Summary of Actions where this revision went through the process for approval as outlined on the AMA website.   Had that happened, we are confident that the public and surgeons who frequently perform these procedures would have spoken out against it before now.

We are gathering support to send a request to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees asking that they investigate how this revision, which negatively impacts the access for all women, was allowed to be added to the CPT without comment or survey.

We need to act quickly to protect our access.   Let's let BIG INSURANCE know they cannot take away our breast reconstruction options without our consent.