And so it begins…by now you have likely heard that several physicians and physician groups— including the Texas Medical Association and a New York physician association—are pushing for a two-year delay of the implementation of ICD-10-CM/PCS from October 1, 2015, to October 1, 2017. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and Coalition for ICD-10 have launched their own campaign efforts to keep the ICD-10 implementation date of October 1, 2015. AHIMA believes the call for the delay could gain traction, and Congress could be persuaded to add an amendment to the $157 billion Departments of Labor-Health and Human Services-Education spending bill that would delay ICD-10.
In addition to AHIMA’s efforts, several hospital associations including the American Hospital Association voiced their opposition to a delay in a letter submitted to House and Senate leaders on both sides of the aisle. Evidently, the hospital industry is winning the argument. Based on a recent news release from Modern Healthcare, the proposal to delay implementation is not getting traction in Congress.
Physicians and their practices will want to move forward with implementation plans and training to avoid cash flow issues starting in October. The first round of claims testing with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) occurred last month with the next rounds to begin the weeks of March 2nd and June 1st of 2015.
Coordinate with your trading partner or clearinghouse to ensure your practice is able to successfully submit claims prior to the October 1, 2015, deadline. Additionally, staff and physician training, along with documentation improvement efforts, should start early in 2015 to allow for a well-planned and uneventful transition.
If you would like more information about ICD-10 implementation, contact the experts listed below at PYA, (800) 270-9629.
