Medtronic wins a Category I CPT code for renal denervation, effective January 2028

MedDevice Startups Staff · 4 days ago · 2 min read · Via Medtronic

The AMA CPT Editorial Panel approved Category I codes for Medtronic's Symplicity Spyral renal denervation system and its Altaviva tibial neuromodulation implant, Medtronic said on October 1. Both take effect in January 2028 and replace Category III codes.

A Category III code tracks a procedure. A Category I code means the AMA considers it well established, widely performed and supported by evidence. Medtronic said the approvals follow growing clinical evidence and physician adoption, and noted that the code by itself does not set coverage, reimbursement or patient access.

Altaviva's code covers subcutaneous tibial implantation, the approach Valencia Technologies also uses for eCoin. BlueWind Medical announced a separate Category I code for subfascial implantation a day later. For anyone building in hypertension devices, the renal denervation code is the more consequential of the two: it moves a procedure that spent years labeled investigational onto a permanent fee schedule, with 15 months of waiting attached.

Questions & Answers

Did Medtronic's Symplicity Spyral renal denervation system get a Category I CPT code?

Yes. The AMA CPT Editorial Panel approved a Category I CPT code for Medtronic's Symplicity Spyral renal denervation system, which Medtronic announced on October 1, 2026. The code takes effect in January 2028.

When do the new Medtronic Altaviva and Symplicity Spyral CPT codes take effect?

Both Category I CPT codes take effect in January 2028. They replace the Category III tracking codes that the Medtronic Altaviva and Symplicity Spyral procedures carried before.

What does a Category I CPT code mean for a medical device company?

A Category I CPT code signals that the AMA considers a procedure well established and evidence backed, which gives payers a permanent code to price. Medtronic noted that the code does not by itself determine coverage or reimbursement.

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