ICD-10 Timeline Checkup
March marks a shift for small and medium medical practices that are working on their ICD-10 transitions. According to timelines provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), small and medium-sized practices should have completed a significant amount of planning by now.
- Review ICD-10 resources from CMS, trade associations, payers, and vendors.
- Inform your staff/colleagues of upcoming changes (1 month).
- Create an ICD-10 project team (1-2 days).
- Identify how ICD-10 will affect your practice (1-2 months).
- Develop and complete an ICD-10 project plan for your practice (1-2 weeks).
- Estimate and secure budget — potential costs include updates to practice management systems, new coding guides and superbills, staff training (2 months).
- Ask your payers and vendors — software/systems, clearinghouses, billing services –about ICD-10 readiness (2 months).
- Review changes in documentation requirements and educate staff by looking at frequently used ICD-9 codes and new ICD-10 codes (ongoing step; will last beyond Oct. 1, 2014).
From now through the rest of 2013, you need to:
| Train key personnel who will be involved in ICD-10 testing. |
| Monitor vendors and implement new systems and upgrades. |
| Test internal systems with ICD-10 codes. |
| Starting Oct. 1, 2013, test with external partners. |
The CMS timeline suggests formal ICD-10 training for the rest of the staff can start Jan. 1, 2014.
Right now, train someone. Choose a staff member who can:
| Review charts and documentation. |
| Practice ICD-10 coding to test documentation and reimbursement impact. |
| Test updated systems. |
| Train other staff members. |
You need as much knowledge as possible. Gain it and use it while you wait for more pieces to fall into place.
Source: www.physbiztech.com; Carl Natale; March 18, 2013.
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