The delay is only one year even though the AMA had called for a 2 year postponement last month
HHS (The Department of Health and Human Services) proclaimed a second delay for change to the ICD-10 code set, this time till October 1, 2014. The previous deadline was October 1, 2013. ICD-10 would launch over 100,000 new procedure and diagnostic codes, impacting everything from compensation to medical research. The “one year only” delay comes despite the fact that the AMA had revealed its opinion to the CMS of a minimum 2 year delay as preferable in the current US healthcare scenario.
Asking Too Much
The recent months saw physicians increasingly pressurizing the HHS to put off the ICD-10 implementation further. They found fault with the HHS for expecting healthcare providers to achieve far more than was possible (such as EHR) within such a short time frame. What’s more, some of the people from the lab fraternity had cautioned that payers were not ready for the code set and that labs could be trapped between inadequately prepared payers and physicians.
Alleviate Your Workload and Save Too
Hard as it is to change over to the ICD-10 code set, things can be easier if you outsource your medical billing and coding processes to a dependable and established healthcare BPO service provider. You’ll not only be able to get a bucket-load of tension off your mind but would also be able to save greatly on operating costs.
Julie Clements, OSI’s Vice President of Operations, brings a diverse background in healthcare staffing and a robust six-year tenure as the Director of Sales and Marketing at a prestigious 4-star resort.