STAT+: Top lawmaker takes aim at doctor lobby, linking AMA’s billing codes to fraud fight

STAT PlusPolitics Top lawmaker takes aim at doctor lobby, linking AMA’s billing codes to fraud fight Rep. James Comer questions ‘complexity’ of CPT codes Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By John WilkersonMay 5, 2026 John Wilkerson, a Washington correspondent, is the author of D.C. Diagnosis, a twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine.

John Wilkerson[email protected]John Wilkerson is a Washington correspondent for STAT who writes about the politics of health care. He is also the author of the twice-weekly D.C. Diagnosis newsletter.

WASHINGTON — For decades, politicians have blamed the country’s biggest doctor lobby for some of the health care systems problems. Now it faces a new line of attack as Republicans portray their health care cuts as fraud-fighting policies. The law requires that doctors bill for services in Medicare and Medicaid using Current Procedural Terminology, or CPT, codes, which are owned by the American Medical Association.

The codes describe what services a patient received.Advertisement A key House Republican is requesting a meeting with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services officials to discuss their oversight of the CPT coding system as part of his committee’s investigation into fraud, waste, and abuse. In the letter, Rep. James Comer (Ky.) suggests the “complexity” of medical coding “may be contributing to improper billing and higher costs” and “creates an environment where billing inaccuracies can flourish.” STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account?

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