MGMA-ACMPE President and CEO Susan Turney, MD, recently sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius with seven recommendations on how to proceed with the implementation of ICD-10.
The seven recommendations included:
1. Complete a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. This cost-benefit analysis would determine how each sector of the healthcare industry will be affected by ICD-10.
2. Pilot test ICD-10. National pilot tests should include physician practices of varying types and sizes in addition to small and large hospitals.
3. Analyze the administrative and financial impact of overlapping initiatives. MGMA-ACMPE wrote the health information technology mandates of meaningful use, e-prescribing and quality reporting should be evaluated in comparison with the costs of ICD-10.
4. Evaluate additional code set approaches. HHS should see if there are ways to improve the current ICD-9 coding set and consider implementing ICD-10 in the inpatient setting only, according to the letter.
5. Stagger implementation dates. Clearinghouses and payors should be the first to comply with ICD-10, followed by providers "a minimum of 12 months" after that compliance date.
6. Develop appropriate crosswalks. In order to transition with no or little loss of historical coding data, HHS should mandate a single set of crosswalks between ICD-9 and ICD-10.
7. Require certification. Payors and clearinghouses should be required to be certified within the revenue cycle and billing system.
The seven recommendations included:
1. Complete a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. This cost-benefit analysis would determine how each sector of the healthcare industry will be affected by ICD-10.
2. Pilot test ICD-10. National pilot tests should include physician practices of varying types and sizes in addition to small and large hospitals.
3. Analyze the administrative and financial impact of overlapping initiatives. MGMA-ACMPE wrote the health information technology mandates of meaningful use, e-prescribing and quality reporting should be evaluated in comparison with the costs of ICD-10.
4. Evaluate additional code set approaches. HHS should see if there are ways to improve the current ICD-9 coding set and consider implementing ICD-10 in the inpatient setting only, according to the letter.
5. Stagger implementation dates. Clearinghouses and payors should be the first to comply with ICD-10, followed by providers "a minimum of 12 months" after that compliance date.
6. Develop appropriate crosswalks. In order to transition with no or little loss of historical coding data, HHS should mandate a single set of crosswalks between ICD-9 and ICD-10.
7. Require certification. Payors and clearinghouses should be required to be certified within the revenue cycle and billing system.
More Articles on ICD-10:
In the Fog of Delay: What's Next for ICD-10?
ICD-10 Specialists Respond to Deadline Delay
5 Areas of Risk in the ICD-10 Conversion