Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), stated last week that there will be no more delays in the industry-wide transition to ICD-10. The implementation date is Oct. 1, 2014. Tavenner made her remarks to attendees of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2014 Annual Conference.
In addition to Tavenner’s comments, two other recent actions by CMS are signaling its intent to move forward with ICD-10 implementation.
In late 2013, CMS designated March 3-7 as a National ICD-10 Testing Week, whereby providers and clearinghouses that are the “direct submitters” of Medicare claims could send test claims with ICD-10 codes. Palmetto GBA and other Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) kicked off the testing event this week. More information is available here.
CMS has also just released Road to 10, a free online resource built with the help of physicians in small practices. Available on the Provider Resources page at cms.gov/ICD10, this tool is intended to help small medical practices jumpstart their ICD-10 transition.
Road to 10 gives providers the capability to build ICD-10 action plans tailored for their practice needs. The customized action plans break down the transition into concrete steps.
- Plan Your Journey – Look at the codes you use, prepare a budget, and build a team
- Train Your Team – Find options and resources to help your team get ready for the transition
- Update Your Processes – Check your clinical documentation, and update policies, procedures, systems, and forms
- Engage Your Partners – Talk to your software vendors, clearinghouses, and billing services
- Test Your Systems and Processes – Test within your practice and with your partners
The tool is designed for use by small practices in primary care as well as all specialties. Road to 10’s resources include common ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, clinical documentation primers, and clinical scenarios for:
- Family practice
- Internal medicine
- Pediatrics
- OB/GYN
- Cardiology
- Orthopedics
NCMS members may contact Franklin Walker, Director of Programs and Practice Management at the NCMS Foundation, for training resources on ICD-10. NCMS is working with other local and national groups to offer educational options as well.
