Book excerpt: Today's increased attention on correct coding for payments of physicians' services and on fraudulent billing using CPT codes demands the right tools for proper education and training. CPT Coding Handbook, 1999 Edition provides a useful reference for physicians, hospitals, billing personnel, and coding professionals concerning the structure, use, and application of the CPT coding system for health services. It also serves as a textbook for CPT instruction in health information management programs and other allied health disciplines. Readers will gain an understanding of reimbursement guidelines and coding principles in order to properly assign CPT codes to health care services in both hospital and physician service facilities or in other health care facilities such as home health, rehabilitation, long term care, hospice, or freestanding ambulatory surgical centers.