AHIMA has submitted official comments on the adoption and implementation of the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS classification systems. In part, AHIMA:

• Recommends that the implementation of the two classifications and the related HIPAA transaction updates should occur over a three-year period, with the date of final compliance no later than October 1, 2012
• Supports a single compliance date across the entire US healthcare industry and recommends that the compliance date, once designated, not be extended, which would cause confusion and add costs (more…)

AHIMA has posted an analysis of the ICD-10 Notice of Proposed Rule Making. The analysis is a summary, offered to the healthcare industry as an aid when considering the proposal. It is not AHIMA’s position on the adoption of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS. AHIMA will publish its comments and recommendations prior to the close of the public commenting period on October 21. (more…)

On Friday, August 15, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) to replace the ICD-9-CM code set.

The announcement, issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, indicates that display copies of the anticipated NPRMs have been filed. The official NPRMs–one related to adoption of the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS classifications and the second related to upgrades of the HIPAA claims-related transactions–will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, August 22, 2008. Additional information will soon be available on the CMS Web pages.

The CMS announcement specifies an October 1, 2011, compliance date for the two sets of changes.  Comments on the proposed rules are due no later that October 21, 2008.

AHIMA will offer a free 90-minute Webinar on the NPRM on Tuesday, August 26, 2008. AHIMA staff will also publish an analysis of the proposed rule.

Preparing for ICD-10 barely made the top 10 in the Journal’s July coding challenges poll. That’s largely a reflection of the more immediate challenges coding professionals have on their desks right now. Without an implementation date, preparing for ICD-10 is likely to take a back seat in many organizations.

However, transitioning successfully to the new code set will take a lot of preparation. AHIMA has been preparing ICD-10 materials for several years now. They are available from a special ICD-10 page on the AHIMA Web site and in the FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge (accessible through the MyAHIMA member log-in on the home page).

In particular, the practice brief “ICD-10 Preparation Checklist” outlines a multiyear plan divided into four major phases. The article “Why ICD-10 Is Worth the Trouble” frames the high-level case for healthcare’s need for a contemporary coding system.