The American Medical Association (AMA) has confirmed the new Category I CPT® codes for mechanical scalp cooling, which will take effect on January 1, 2026. These codes replace temporary Category III codes 0662T and 0663T.
The new codes are:
97007 – Scalp cooling, mechanical; initial measurement and calibration of cap
Reported once per chemotherapy treatment period.
97008 – Mechanical scalp cooling; including hair preparation, individual cap placement, therapy initiation, and pre-cooling period
Reported once per chemotherapy session.
97009 – Mechanical scalp cooling provided after chemotherapy discontinuation, each 30 minutes
Reported in addition to 97008, for post-cooling of 16 minutes or longer.
Chemotherapy treatment period: The chemotherapy treatment prescribed may be administered over multiple chemotherapy sessions over a period of time on separate dates of service.
Chemotherapy session: An individual chemotherapy session or treatment day.
Differences from Category III CPT Codes
These new permanent codes replace CPT 0662T and 0663T, which were introduced as temporary tracking codes. The update recognizes the important role of machine-based scalp cooling in addressing chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA), one of the most distressing side effects of cancer treatment.
Machine-based scalp cooling is used to address chemotherapy-induced alopecia. To report mechanical scalp-cooling services, the device must be a medical device as defined by the FDA and ordered and performed by trained clinical staff under the supervision of a physician or other qualified health care professional (QHP). These devices are used in an office or facility setting and are not intended for home use.
Codes 97007, 97008, 97009 are not reported if the scalp-cooling device is ordered by a physician or other QHP but self-administered by the patient during chemotherapy administration.
Code 97007 should be reported once per chemotherapy treatment period and involves a dedicated visit that includes the initial fitting and supply of the custom cap and patient education on hair and skin care, potential therapy side effects, and treatment outcomes. This may be performed independently by clinical staff after scalp cooling has been ordered by a physician or other QHP.
Mechanical scalp cooling is reported using 97008 once per chemotherapy session. Initiation of the services described in 97008 begins 30 minutes before each chemotherapy administration when scalp cooling is performed and concludes when the chemotherapy administration session and post-chemotherapy monitoring are completed. Periodic patient monitoring and management of scalp cooling during chemotherapy is included in the chemotherapy administration service and is not separately reported. Code 97009 may be reported for the continuation of scalp cooling provided after chemotherapy is completed and varies depending on the duration of the chemotherapy regimen. Code 97009 is reported once for each 30 minutes of scalp cooling provided upon discontinuation of the chemotherapy infusion. Do not report 97009 for scalp cooling of less than 16 minutes. Services described in 97008, 97009 may be performed by clinical staff under the direct supervision of a physician or other QHP.
Under the new structure, 97007 supports a dedicated visit that includes the initial fitting and supply of the custom cap, patient education on hair and skin care, potential therapy side effects, and treatment outcomes.
Mechanical scalp cooling is reported using 97008 once per chemotherapy session. Initiation of the services described in 97008 begins 30 minutes before each chemotherapy administration when scalp cooling is performed and concludes when the chemotherapy administration session and post-chemotherapy monitoring are completed. Periodic patient monitoring and management of scalp cooling during chemotherapy is included in the chemotherapy administration service and is not separately reported.
Code 97009 may be reported for the continuation of scalp cooling provided after chemotherapy is completed and varies depending on the duration of the chemotherapy regimen. Code 97009 is reported once for each 30-minute post-infusion cooling period, provided upon discontinuation of the chemotherapy infusion. Do not report 97009 for scalp cooling of less than 16 minutes.
97009 accounts for additional cooling delivered after chemotherapy has finished, billed in 30-minute increments.
Importantly, services described in 97008 and 97009 must be performed in a clinical setting by trained staff under the supervision of a physician or qualified healthcare professional (QHP). Self-administered scalp cooling is not reportable under these codes.
The transition from temporary to permanent CPT codes represents national recognition that scalp cooling is an established therapy that should be accessible to more patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The adoption of Category I CPT® codes is expected to improve reimbursement and coverage pathways, making scalp cooling more widely available to patients seeking to maintain their sense of identity and psychosocial wellbeing during cancer treatment.
