Medical Billing - Are You Ready For ICD-10-CM?

What is ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS? ICD-10-CM isOffice billing?
the new US clinical modification standard of theProviders in all healthcare settings will use
International Classification of Disease ICD-10. It willICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for reporting,
replace the current ICD-9-CM by October 1, 2013.payment, and other purposes. ICD-10-PCS wil be
ICD-10-CM is maintained by NCHS (National Centerused only for inpatients billing by hospitals.
for Health Statistics). It includes the level of detailPhysicians will continue to use Current Procedural
needed for disease classification and diagnosticTerminology (CPT-4) and Healthcare Common
specification in the United States. It consists ofProcedure Coding System (HCPC) to bill for their
more than 68,000 diagnosis codes while ICD-9-CMservices.
has a little more than 13,000 diagnosis codes.Does ICD-10 lend itself to the use of Electronic
ICD-10-PCS is the new US procedural codingMedical Record?
system developed under the direction of CMS (Yes, ICD-10-CM and PCS are better suited for
Medicare & Medicaid Services). It is moreuse in EMRs because they permit a better
detailed than the short volume of proceduremapping from SNOMED-CT the clinical reference
codes in ICD-9-CM. It consists of 87,000terminology and more suited to
procedure codes while ICD-9 CPT has 17,000computer-assisted coding.
codes. It will too replace the current ICD-9-CMHow long would it take coders and healthcare
procedure coding by January 1, 2012 for inpatientproviders to learn the ICD-10?
procedures.Various studies have suggested that coders and
What are the differences between ICD-10-CMhealthcare providers will have a level of
and ICD-9-CM?proficiency within 6 months of using the new
ICD-9-CM: 3-5 characters; first character iscoding system.
numeric or alpha; characters 2-5 are numeric;Are mapping available between ICD-9-CM and
always at least 3 characters; use of decimal afterICD-10-CM?
3 characters; lacks sufficient capacity; no longerYes, for a more detailed mapping visit
reflect current knowledge of disease and latestWhere can I find more information about
medical terminologies.ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS?o For ICD-10-CM visit
- ICD-10-CM: 3-7 characters; first character isNCHS website at " ICD-10-PCS information can be
alpha; characters 2-7 are alpha or numeric; alwaysfound on the CMS website.o For more ICD-10
at least 3 characters; use of decimal after 3resources visit AHIMA Web site.
characters; has the capacity for new diseases likeWhere can I find information about estimated
SARS and WNV; it will have the capacity tocosts to my practice for transitioning to
include current and future knowledge of diseaseICD-10-CM? A study done by Nachimson Advisors
and medical terminologies; offers greatest codingtitled "The Impact of Implementing ICD-10 on
accuracy and specificity; ICD-10 codes are brokenPhysician Practices and Clinical Laboratories" has
down into chapters and sub chapters, disease aredetailed cost estimates of transitioning to the new
grouped be letters.coding system.
Will ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS affect physician