SALT LAKE CITY—Oct. 20, 2009—The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC, www.aapc.com) has released its ICD-10-CM online code conversion tool, which is now available online at www.aapc.com/icd-10/codes. This valuable tool allows users to convert (or “map”) ICD-9-CM codes to ICD-10-CM codes (and vice versa) based on the General Equivalency Mapping (GEM) files published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The tool is free and available to the general public with no access code or password required. Developed by the AAPC, this tool is expected to be a huge resource to medical coders and health care professionals as they begin to transition to the new ICD-10 system. Read more »

By Deborah Grider, CPC, CPC-I, CPC-H, CPC-P, CEMC, COBGC, CPCD, CCS-P

Is your organization delaying the implementation process.  Do you feel like the federal government will delay ICD-10 so you are procrastinating beginning the process? Are you risking delay and in some cases lost revenue in 2013?  ICD-10 seems like a long time away, but is it? Read more »

TO: Members of the ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee
FROM: The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
RE: AAPC’s position regarding suspension of code changes prior to and following implementation of ICD-10-CM and -PCS

The American Academy of Professional Coders does not support the freezing of changes to ICD-9-CM prior to the Oct. 1, 2013 implementation of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS. Because changes to other coding systems, specifically CPT and HCPCS Level II, will be required regardless of any change in ICD-9-CM code change scheduling, AAPC can see no benefit to freezing ICD-9-CM. And because medical science is continually evolving, AAPC believes any freeze of updates to diagnostic coding affects reporting accuracy and should be limited.

AAPC supports a freeze in changes to ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS. Because all users will be setting up entirely new systems to accommodate ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS in the year(s) prior to implementation, AAPC supports a freeze on changes to the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS code sets beginning Oct. 1, 2012 (one year prior to implementation) and continuing until Oct. 1, 2014 (one year following implementation). This will provide a 24-month hiatus from any changes to the new system, which will ease the burden of adoption for all participants.

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the discussion on this very important topic. AAPC will be in attendance to the Coordination and Maintenance Committee meeting September 16 and 17 in Baltimore.

By Angela “Annie” Boynton RHIT, CPC, CCS, CPC-H, CCS-P, CPC-P, CPC-I

At this point, many are aware of the impending upgrades to ICD-10 and 5010/D.0/3.0.  Much has been touted about the costs.  It seems that the majority of health care leaders ask “How can we afford to implement ICD-10?” It’s a valid question especially when nationwide estimates are as high as $8 billion dollars to implement ICD-10.  Over the past few years many studies have been done that focus on the cost of implementation.  RAND Corporation, the Nolan Corporation and Price Waterhouse Coopers have all studied the fiscal impact of ICD-10 implementation. Read more »

Does the thought of all the planning and analysis that must be accomplished prior to ICD-10 implementation cause you to slump into a major depressive state?   Has it only occurred once or does the condition reoccur frequently?  Is it mild, moderate or severe?  Do you have psychotic symptoms, and if yes, what are they?  If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone.  ICD-10 implementation will be challenging, but we can turn it into a positive and have fun with it as well.  Let’s look at coding this scenario using ICD-10-CM. Read more »

By Julia Croly, CPC, CPC-P

With ICD-10-CM/PCS on the horizon, health plans will need to review their policies and procedures that work behind the scenes to administer benefits and adjudicate claims.  Does your health plan deny claims for pre-existing conditions?  Who in your health plan is responsible for the maintenance of the pre-existing list of conditions and their ICD-9-CM code(s)?

Let’s step back and look at what “pre-existing” is and what it means to members and health plans.

Read more »

By Rhonda Buckholtz

Ongoing changes in the implementation of ICD-10 require taking a closer look at Internal Systems to ensure the organization has the capability to move forward with implementation.  Does your organization have enough hard drive space to house two codes sets (ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM) simultaneously for a period of time before and after implementation?

The organization must orient information systems technology (IT) personnel as to the specifications necessary for the code sets for successful transition. Read more »

AAPC member Angela “Annie” Boynton discusses what health plans and payers must do to prepare for ICD-10 implementation. Annie gives a brief overview of the development and continued change and growth of the disease classification system (which is now known as ICD), as well as tips on how to analyze the impact of ICD-10 on a payer. According to Annie, “the key to smooth ICD-10 implementation is to begin preparation immediately.”

Full Article

By Angela “Annie” Boynton RHIT, CPC, CCS, CPC-H, CCS-P, CPC-P, CPC-I

All of those involved in the health care industry are working in a revolutionary time, an exciting time and a stressful time!  Current workers will see a major code set change and see our country overhaul its health care infrastructure in order to support a nationwide electronic health record environment.  With ICD-10 taking over so much of the limelight recently, it is easy to overlook some of the vitally significant steps along the way.  Equally important, but much less famous, is the conversion to the ASC X12 version 5010 architecture, more commonly known as 5010, and the NCPDP versions D.0 and 3.0. Read more »