CMS Announces New ICD-10 Resources, Unveils July Testing Results
Medicare ICD-10 Questions? We have answers at The Firm Services. On Thursday, CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt offered further details about resources the agency will have in place to help providers with the upcoming switchover to ICD-10 code sets, Health Data Management reports (Slabodkin [1], Health Data Management, 8/28). U.S. health care organizations are working to transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 code sets by Oct. 1 to accommodate codes for new diseases and procedures. Background On July 6, CMS and the American Medical Association jointly announced measures designed to help ease physicians' transition. Among other things, CMS said it would: Appoint an ICD-10 ombudsman to help oversee the transition; Establish a one-year grace period in which it will reimburse physicians under Medicare Part B for claims with incorrect ICD-10 diagnosis codes; Extend the flexibility for quality code errors to the Physician Quality Reporting System, Value-Based Payment Modifier program and meaningful use program so physicians and other eligible professionals are not penalized; and Provide a range of online resources -- including Web conferences and training documents -- to aid providers in the transition. The measures do not signify an ICD-10 delay (iHealthBeat, 7/29). Latest Updates During a national provider call, Slavitt said CMS has created and is staffing an ICD-10 Coordination Center, which will open at the end of September. It will "be responsible for managing and triaging issues and ensuring timely communications" with providers, Slavitt said. In addition, Slavitt announced that William Rogers, a practicing emergency department physician and director of CMS' Physicians Regulatory Issues Team, will serve as ICD-10 ombudsman. He will assess and respond to stakeholder concerns with the transition. Rogers has been an ombudsman for clinicians who work with Medicare [...]