08/26/2026
The AMA doesn’t just own the CPT code system. It also has a role in recommending how the services behind those codes are valued.
CPT codes are the five digit codes healthcare providers use to describe the care we provide and bill for it.
The AMA created and copyrighted this system and makes hundreds of millions of dollars annually from publishing products and royalties, which includes CPT licensing.
But here’s the part I think more patients should know: The AMA also convenes a committee of physicians and medical specialty groups that recommends to the federal government how much different medical services should be valued for Medicare.
The government ultimately makes the final decision, but those recommendations help shape how much doctors are paid for the care represented by these codes.
The AMA owns the coding system. It generates significant revenue connected to that system. And it has a significant role in recommending how the medical services represented by those codes are valued.
That is a lot of influence over how money moves through American healthcare…