Will You Be Ready For The ICD-10 Code Transition?

Posted by Donna Craig in Jan, 2015

On October 1, 2015 physicians and other health care providers will need to use the new ICD-10 Codes when billing for services rendered to their patients.  In order to be ready, health care providers and IT vendors need to work together to ensure software systems are capable of making the transition to the new ICD-10 Codes.  Health care providers and vendors should jointly review all software systems in the office that use codes.  This is not limited to the practice management software system.  Since electronic health records (“EHR”) systems use codes, those EHR systems need to also be evaluated.

 Providers need to challenge their vendors to determine if they are ready for the ICD-10 transition, and that all systems will be compatible and perform with the new ICD-10 codes.  This may require collaboration with more than one vendor, depending on the software systems your office is using.  Ask vendors, what steps they have put in place to meet the October 1, 2015 deadline.  Have them confirm and show you documentation of the steps they have taken?  Don’t just take the vendor’s word that everything is in place.  Verify, ask for documentation, and have them all questions you may have.  Has the vendor(s) conducted beta testing to determine if issues exist, or gaps in functionality have been identified?  If issues have been identified, what has the vendor(s) done to address the issue?  Ask the vendor to share documentation of the results of such beta testing.  Is your current hardware sufficient to handle the new demands of the ICD-10 codes?  If not, what future hardware needs will be needed?  Take into account the time needed to order, install and bring new hardware up to speed.  You also need to ask the vendor if the billing systems will support both ICD-9 and ICD-10, as both billing codes will be used for a period of time.

 If your questions are not being answered by the vendor(s) to your satisfaction, now is the time to determine if you need to search for a new vendor, and evaluate the new vendor’s ability to bring your system in compliance with ICD-10 codes in a timely fashion.  October 1, 2015 will come faster than you know.  If you don’t start now to evaluate your current software and needs your billings and collections will be delayed, causing a cash flow issue.

 Contact The Health Law Center if you have questions regarding the new ICD-10 Codes.  We will walk you through a checklist for your practice.