Can your software handle it?
The federal government now requires that ICD-10 codes be used on all insurance claims. This means that ICD-9 codes will be rejected, and practices need to adjust for the change. This transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 can be challenging for medical practices, but it does not have to be. American Medical Software works with all of our clients to ensure that transition is as simple as possible.
The first step in your preparation is to immediately review your computer hardware/networks and EHR software to make certain you meet current industry standards.
Why is this important?
ICD-10 code sets include greater detail, new terminology, and expanded concepts for injuries, laterality, and other related factors. There are roughly 14,500 ICD-9 codes in use, and ICD-10 will have over 70,000 codes with 500,000 multiple descriptions. The added volume of information and data processing bogs down computers that are not at industry standards. AMS technology is designed to show available ICD-10 codes whenever an ICD-9 code is entered to avoid any processing or software errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is ICD-10?
International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes are alphanumeric designations that providers assign to every medical diagnosis and description of symptoms for patients. ICD-10 is the 10th updated edition of these codes and replaced the United States’ ICD-9 system.
Q: Why did we change to ICD-10?
There are multiple reasons for the update. The United States is the only country still using ICD-9, and upgrading to ICD-10 allows us to compare our healthcare data more accurately with other countries. The ICD-10 system provides more efficient data tracking to measure the quality and safety of care, faster claim reimbursement processing, and improved clinical, financial, and administrative performance.
Q: When was the initial ICD-10 deadline?
The Department of Health and Humans Services announced the compliance deadline was October 1, 2015.
Q: Is the switch to ICD-10 just for Medicare and Medicaid, or are other insurance companies changing too?
HIPAA mandates that all insurance plans in the United States make the transition to ICD-10.
Q: What type of training will providers and staff need for the ICD-10 transition?
Training needs vary for different organizations. For example, physician practice coders only need to learn ICD-10 diagnosis coding, while hospital coders need to learn the diagnosis and inpatient procedure coding. CMS and coding associations such as AAPC have resources to help providers transition to ICD-10 with new tools, information, and training opportunities.
Have further questions about ICD-10? Contact the medical software experts at American Medical Software.