What is the primary use of Category I CPT Codes?

The primary use of Category I CPT Codes is to cover physicians' services and hospital outpatient coding. These codes are well-defined, numeric codes used to describe a wide range of medical services and procedures performed by healthcare providers. They serve as a standardized language in the healthcare field, facilitating communication regarding procedures and services across different facilities and insurance systems.

Category I codes are essential for billing purposes; they help ensure that providers are appropriately reimbursed for services rendered. This includes specifying diagnoses, procedures, and other clinical services, which makes them integral to the administrative processes that involve coding and billing within a practice.

While the other options mention specific contexts in which codes might be used, they either do not encompass the broad application of Category I CPT Codes or pertain to more specialized areas of healthcare administration and billing. Therefore, the correct choice highlights the comprehensive role these codes play in documenting and billing for medical services in both outpatient settings and by physicians.