ICD-10

Have you made a plan for ICD-10?  A successful transition from ICD-9 codes to ICD-10 codes on October 1, 2014 will require focused leadership and strategic planning.  CMS suggests that at a minimum, physicians consider the following areas: ensure top leadership understands the breadth and significance of the ICD-10 changes; assign overall responsibility and decision-making [...]

Although the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 has already been delayed, many people have been eager for an additional delay.  Unfortunately, they are out of luck.  As of yesterday, the national coordinator for healthcare IT, Farzad Mostashari, asserted that there would be no extension of the deadline for switching from the ICD-9 medical coding system [...]

How are you training everyone at your practice for ICD-10? The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) recommends that IT staff, information management directors and other executives be trained through a seven-hour program.  It is suggested that coders receive at least 60 hours of intensive training to be proficient in ICD-10.  “Coders need a mastery [...]

The conversion from ICD-9 to ICD-10 diagnostic and procedural code reporting is a call to action that will significantly impact the course of your business.  ICD-10 is the most disruptive change in healthcare history. There is no prediction that ICD-10 might happen; it is happening and any practice not prepared to meet the challenges that [...]

Is all of this ICD-10 preparation bogging you down? While your ICD-10 preparation may seem stressful and at times, over the top, there will be huge payoff’s in the long run.  ICD-10 provides more specific data than ICD-9 and better reflects current medical practices. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) states that “The [...]

On April 24th, Representative Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced legislation, H.R. 1701, that would prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), from replacing the ICD-9 coding system with the ICD-10 coding systems.  The Healthcare Billing and Management Association stated that “to date no action has been scheduled for this legislation and only one Member, [...]

Have you made a plan for ICD-10?  A successful transition from ICD-9 codes to ICD-10 codes on October 1, 2014 will require focused leadership and strategic planning.  CMS suggests that at a minimum, physicians consider the following areas: ensure top leadership understands the breadth and significance of the ICD-10 changes; assign overall responsibility and decision-making [...]

It has been approximately six months since the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed a delay to the ICD-10 implementation deadline, and the industry has finally heard the final ruling. At this point, pushing back the ICD-10 compliance date by a full year to October 1, 2014, means that you have just under two years to get your client practices ready. We cannot say it enough: holding off on your preparations and waiting until the last minute will put your organization in jeopardy.

The government has set a final compliance date of Oct. 1, 2014, for industry adoption of ICD-10. As you attempt to successfully implement the new code set, consider these steps.