The Differences Between ICD-9 Codes and ICD-10 Codes

Are you a professional medical coder? Then you have an important job, because your careful coding is vital for proper diagnoses, to monitor the health of the general population, accurate reimbursement, the smooth operation of facilities that provide medical care and more. That's why a firm understanding and comprehensive training for the ICD-10 transition will be incremental to your medical coding career.

ICD-10 will replace ICD-9 on October 1, 2013 as the Unites State's industry-wide coding system. Don't stress. According to the AAPC, ICD-10-CM shares many similarities with ICD-9-CM, like the guidelines, conventions and rules. Anyone who is qualified to code ICD-9-CM should be able to easily make the transition to ICD-10-CM coding with the proper training. However, as a professional medical coder, there are several important differences between the two coding systems that you will need to prepare for.

According to the AAPC, Major Differences Between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM Include:


ICD-9-CM is mostly made up of numeric codes with three to five digits. ICD-10-CM will consist of alphanumeric codes with three to seven digits. The expanded characters of the diagnosis codes will provide more information concerning disease type, severity and anatomic site.

ICD-9-CM has about 13,600 codes and ICD-10-CM will consist of approximately 69,000 codes.

A single ICD-10-CM code can be found to not only pinpoint a particular disease, but also its current manifestation.

The current ICD-9-CM coding system does not require mapping. A two-year transition period, will allow access to both ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding systems until the transition is complete. Mapping will be required so that equivalent codes can be found for outcomes studies, medical necessity edits and more.

These major differences will impact information technology and software.

The transition to ICD-10-CM will help solve certain challenges that exist with the ICD-9-CM coding system. In fact, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), a primary concern today with ICD-9 is the lack of specificity of the information conveyed in the codes. The ICD-10 coding system seeks to ratify this challenge with characters in the code that identify left or right, initial encounter versus subsequent encounter and other important clinical information. With ICD-10, codes will increase in detail, offering more information, and also, greater laterality.

Another challenge with ICD-9 is that some of the chapters have reached capacity, so there is no way to add new codes. To help ratify this, new codes have been assigned to various chapters. However, this often makes it difficult for these codes to be located. Under the ICD-10 coding system, codes have increased in character length, which greatly increases the number of codes for future use and decreases the chances that chapters will run out of codes.

Overall, the move from ICD-9 code sets to ICD-10 code sets will mean more details, terminology changes and expanded concepts for laterality, injuries and other related factors. According to the AMA, while the complexity of ICD-10 will provide many benefits, the complexity also enhances the need for comprehensive ICD-10 training in order to fully grasp the changes that accompany the new code sets.

Early ICD-10 preparation is a smart choice. With advanced preparation, you can allow yourself adequate time to grasp all the necessary changes, as well as increase your marketability to health care facilities, doctors and more, who will need ICD-10 trained individuals to help ensure a smooth transition.

Consider taking an online ICD-10 course and enjoy the flexibility of self-paced learning that allows you to keep your career on track, focus on other personal responsibilities when needed and study 24/7 - in other words, when it's most convenient for you. Before you know it, the October 1, 2013 deadline will be here, so take charge, seek out flexible, online ICD-10 training and gain the peace-of-mind and career edge you deserve.

Are you a professional medical coder? Learn about ICD-10 Codes changes and how to prepare for ICD-10.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

ICD-10 Codes - How to Make the Transition Smoothly

The transition from ICD 9 to ICD 10 is going to be interesting. In the near future, medical professionals in the US, presently using ICD-9 medical diagnosis codes will need to update this system. The WHO has updated this system to include a better classification of recognized diseases and compatibility with today's medical data recording practices.

These codes have been created to help improve the healthcare community by offering a more comprehensive system of medical information that is consistent around the world. In order that the US maintain effective health information exchange on a more global level, it's vital for medical facilities and others to start adopting ICD-10 codes.

In order to understand the scope of this change, here are a few key points that you should consider:

• There are around 69,000 diagnosis codes in ICD-10 as compared to around 14,000 diagnosis codes in ICD-9 codes 2010.

• While ICD-9 codes contain 3-5 digits, ICD-10 codes contain 3-7 digits.

• Diagnosis codes are important elements of many electronic systems like practice management and EHRs.

• Moreover, diagnosis codes are also key to many health insurance coverage policies and are used in pay-for-reporting and pay-for-performance initiatives.

• While many conventions of ICD-9 code carry over to ICD-10, there'll be a need for physicians, coders, and billers to learn the correct use of the new code set.

These points indicate that the transition will involve many processes within and outside your practice. As such you need to be armed properly and coordinate with hardware and software vendors, claims clearing houses and payers. There are various ways you can prepare yourself for the transition. One way to go about it is by signing up for an audio conference. Going for one will help you stay tuned to what you need to do to make a smooth transition. And in case you have missed the date with a scheduled audio conference, there are CDs and MP3s that you can avail of.

We offers healthcare audio conference and advanced Learning Opportunities by Quality Indicator Survey through all types of audio conferences and exceptional series of training CD's, DVD's & Tapes.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Medical Coding Services and Physicians - What Impact Will the Switch to ICD-10 Have on You?

You have probably heard by now that the required switch to using ICD-10 has been delayed by a few years. You can breathe a little easier for now, but have you begun to consider how your office will implement the changes? And what do these changes mean to you anyway?

A little background...as you know, insurance companies do not pay for "tension headaches" and "15 minute office visits for an established patient" - insurance companies pay for medical diagnosis codes like 307.81 and procedure CPT codes such as 99213. Diagnosis codes, CPT and HCPCS codes all describe patient complaints, illness, procedures and supplies for a submitted claim. The ICD-9 codes currently in use were adopted in the 1960s by the U.S. Since then there have been many advances in healthcare. Under the current coding system, the room to expand is limited. By adding codes under the new system, there will be room to expand and be more specific in reporting.

How much so? Think there are a lot of codes now? Try 68,000 diagnoses codes, up from 13,000 now. For procedure codes (CPT) we go from 3000 codes now to 87,000 codes! What is more, ICD-9 codes will go from up to 5 digits (ex. 307.81) to up to 7.

The deadline for implementation is 2013, which is still in the future. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal: "CMS says it expects implementation of the new system initially will boost by as much as 10% the number of claims returned because of coding errors. But a study by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of insurers predicts billing errors are likely to rise between 10% and 25% in the first year."

If you currently do your billing in-house and file using on-site software, the switch to ICD-10 could be a large expense for updates to your software as well. By the start of 2012 all physicians must begin using the new version of HIPAA transaction standards known as 5010 in order to file claims. This is due to the fact that the current 4010 version does not accommodate ICD-10 codes. Even if you believe you can put off updates to switching to ICD-10, you should at the very least start considering what it will take to update to the 5010 transaction standards.

It may be a good time to consider either a switch to outsourcing your billing to pass the cost off to a billing company, or at least consider an internet based billing program. The advantages with internet based electronic claims filing is that the updates are built in to the platform at no cost to you other than your regular fee of using the service. This could potentially save you thousands upfront as well as over the long run. The whole purpose of the switch to ICD-10 is to accommodate the annual updates in technology and procedures. You can be sure that any in-house software you use for claims filing will require annual updates that can represent cost to you as well.

You can see why it will be more important then ever to have a coder educated on the new codes as a part of your practice. Implementation of the new system will be costly, so when the time comes, out-sourcing your coding could be a cost-saving solution.

Jeff Roh is owner of Profast Billing Solutions, offering physicians billing services and medical coding services. He writes articles on important and current issues relating to insurance billing for the medical community. For more information visit http://www.profastbilling.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

ICD10 Codes - The Shocking Truth

October 2013 seems a long way away with little need to prepare now for the changes from ICD9 to ICD10 codes but I recently learned the shocking truth. The Healthcare Billing and Management Association held a conference in Boca Raton this month with a session attended by approximately 200 medical billers on the new ICD10 codes. Even though I have looked into the changes and even written on them, I was shocked to hear all that is really involved. We all need to start paying attention now.

My original questions revolved around whether all doctors will be expected to start using ICD10 codes on a specific day and will all the insurance companies be ready to accept them on that same day or will it be more of a transitional thing like the NPI numbers were.

My first surprise was that ICD10 codes are already in effect in all the rest of the world. Other countries have been using them for years. We are way behind the times with regard to the rest of the world.

My second surprise was that ICD9 codes are not just being expanded. ICD10 codes are totally different than ICD9 codes. We won't just add another number and there aren't just a few small changes. ICD10 codes will identify much more information about the visit than ICD9s do. ICD10 codes will contain an expansion of disease classification with greater specificity. They will be much more detailed and will help identify fraudulent billing practices. There will be no 1 to 1 crosswalk. This means that a 309.28 will not equal a A40258Z. You won't take an ICD9 and turn it into an ICD10. They are completely different.

My next thought was how are my doctors going to learn all these codes? We bill many small specialty practices. Many of our chiropractors still do not understand the requirements by Medicare for the ICD9 codes. How are they ever going to get the ICD10 ones right? How are our psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers going to learn ICD10 coding? Most of these are single practitioners who work alone and do not hire a coder.

ICD10 coding will require more clinical information such as "did the patient use tobacco", "did the patient use alcohol", "which finger was cut", "which part of the finger", "was the nail damaged". The new codes will contain alpha characters as well as numeric. The number 1 can mean 15 different things. It is estimated that it will require 24 - 40 hours of classroom education to understand the concepts of ICD10 coding.

Another consideration with the codes now using alpha characters as well as numeric is whether your software will allow you to use alpha characters. If you are using a web based software this won't be a problem, but if you have a server based software, you will want to check with your vendor and make sure you will be able to submit alpha characters in diagnosis codes.

The speaker felt that unspecified codes may be a problem as insurance carriers have yet to tell us if they will pay on unspecified codes with the new changes. Pre-authorization policies will have to be rewritten. Workers comp is not subject to ICD10 changes so some companies say they will not process the ICD10 codes. For a period of time both ICD9 and ICD10 codes will be in effect. Does this sound confusing enough to the average biller yet?

Then came the bombshell. Insurance carriers are not ready for ICD10 codes and most of them won't be ready. Many have announced that they will try to translate the ICD10 code back into an ICD9 code to pay the claim. This means doctors will be translating the ICD9 codes they are familiar with into a new unfamiliar ICD10 code and the insurance carriers will be translating this ICD10 code back into hopefully the same ICD9 code to pay the claim. I can only imagine the problems this will present.

As one of the speakers said "Hold onto your butts! It's going to be a rough ride!"

Alice Scott and her partner/daughter Michele Redmond offer a free forum where you can keep up with current changes which affect medical billing. You can ask questions relating to medical billing or read about what is happening to others in the field. They also offer a free newsletter and informative website with many articles on medical billing. Alice and Michele have authored 9 books on medical billing which are offered for sale on Amazon.com and as immediate digital downloads from their websites.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

ICD-10 Codes - How to Make the Transition Smoothly

The transition from ICD 9 to ICD 10 is going to be interesting. In the near future, medical professionals in the US, presently using ICD-9 medical diagnosis codes will need to update this system. The WHO has updated this system to include a better classification of recognized diseases and compatibility with today's medical data recording practices.

These codes have been created to help improve the healthcare community by offering a more comprehensive system of medical information that is consistent around the world. In order that the US maintain effective health information exchange on a more global level, it's vital for medical facilities and others to start adopting ICD-10 codes.

In order to understand the scope of this change, here are a few key points that you should consider:

• There are around 69,000 diagnosis codes in ICD-10 as compared to around 14,000 diagnosis codes in ICD-9 codes 2010.

• While ICD-9 codes contain 3-5 digits, ICD-10 codes contain 3-7 digits.

• Diagnosis codes are important elements of many electronic systems like practice management and EHRs.

• Moreover, diagnosis codes are also key to many health insurance coverage policies and are used in pay-for-reporting and pay-for-performance initiatives.

• While many conventions of ICD-9 code carry over to ICD-10, there'll be a need for physicians, coders, and billers to learn the correct use of the new code set.

These points indicate that the transition will involve many processes within and outside your practice. As such you need to be armed properly and coordinate with hardware and software vendors, claims clearing houses and payers. There are various ways you can prepare yourself for the transition. One way to go about it is by signing up for an audio conference. Going for one will help you stay tuned to what you need to do to make a smooth transition. And in case you have missed the date with a scheduled audio conference, there are CDs and MP3s that you can avail of.

We offers healthcare audio conference and advanced Learning Opportunities by Quality Indicator Survey through all types of audio conferences and exceptional series of training CD's, DVD's & Tapes.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Medical Coding Services and Physicians - What Impact Will the Switch to ICD-10 Have on You?

You have probably heard by now that the required switch to using ICD-10 has been delayed by a few years. You can breathe a little easier for now, but have you begun to consider how your office will implement the changes? And what do these changes mean to you anyway?

A little background...as you know, insurance companies do not pay for "tension headaches" and "15 minute office visits for an established patient" - insurance companies pay for medical diagnosis codes like 307.81 and procedure CPT codes such as 99213. Diagnosis codes, CPT and HCPCS codes all describe patient complaints, illness, procedures and supplies for a submitted claim. The ICD-9 codes currently in use were adopted in the 1960s by the U.S. Since then there have been many advances in healthcare. Under the current coding system, the room to expand is limited. By adding codes under the new system, there will be room to expand and be more specific in reporting.

How much so? Think there are a lot of codes now? Try 68,000 diagnoses codes, up from 13,000 now. For procedure codes (CPT) we go from 3000 codes now to 87,000 codes! What is more, ICD-9 codes will go from up to 5 digits (ex. 307.81) to up to 7.

The deadline for implementation is 2013, which is still in the future. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal: "CMS says it expects implementation of the new system initially will boost by as much as 10% the number of claims returned because of coding errors. But a study by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of insurers predicts billing errors are likely to rise between 10% and 25% in the first year."

If you currently do your billing in-house and file using on-site software, the switch to ICD-10 could be a large expense for updates to your software as well. By the start of 2012 all physicians must begin using the new version of HIPAA transaction standards known as 5010 in order to file claims. This is due to the fact that the current 4010 version does not accommodate ICD-10 codes. Even if you believe you can put off updates to switching to ICD-10, you should at the very least start considering what it will take to update to the 5010 transaction standards.

It may be a good time to consider either a switch to outsourcing your billing to pass the cost off to a billing company, or at least consider an internet based billing program. The advantages with internet based electronic claims filing is that the updates are built in to the platform at no cost to you other than your regular fee of using the service. This could potentially save you thousands upfront as well as over the long run. The whole purpose of the switch to ICD-10 is to accommodate the annual updates in technology and procedures. You can be sure that any in-house software you use for claims filing will require annual updates that can represent cost to you as well.

You can see why it will be more important then ever to have a coder educated on the new codes as a part of your practice. Implementation of the new system will be costly, so when the time comes, out-sourcing your coding could be a cost-saving solution.

Jeff Roh is owner of Profast Billing Solutions, offering physicians billing services and medical coding services. He writes articles on important and current issues relating to insurance billing for the medical community. For more information visit http://www.profastbilling.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

The Differences Between ICD-9 Codes and ICD-10 Codes

Are you a professional medical coder? Then you have an important job, because your careful coding is vital for proper diagnoses, to monitor the health of the general population, accurate reimbursement, the smooth operation of facilities that provide medical care and more. That's why a firm understanding and comprehensive training for the ICD-10 transition will be incremental to your medical coding career.

ICD-10 will replace ICD-9 on October 1, 2013 as the Unites State's industry-wide coding system. Don't stress. According to the AAPC, ICD-10-CM shares many similarities with ICD-9-CM, like the guidelines, conventions and rules. Anyone who is qualified to code ICD-9-CM should be able to easily make the transition to ICD-10-CM coding with the proper training. However, as a professional medical coder, there are several important differences between the two coding systems that you will need to prepare for.

According to the AAPC, Major Differences Between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM Include:


ICD-9-CM is mostly made up of numeric codes with three to five digits. ICD-10-CM will consist of alphanumeric codes with three to seven digits. The expanded characters of the diagnosis codes will provide more information concerning disease type, severity and anatomic site.

ICD-9-CM has about 13,600 codes and ICD-10-CM will consist of approximately 69,000 codes.

A single ICD-10-CM code can be found to not only pinpoint a particular disease, but also its current manifestation.

The current ICD-9-CM coding system does not require mapping. A two-year transition period, will allow access to both ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding systems until the transition is complete. Mapping will be required so that equivalent codes can be found for outcomes studies, medical necessity edits and more.

These major differences will impact information technology and software.

The transition to ICD-10-CM will help solve certain challenges that exist with the ICD-9-CM coding system. In fact, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), a primary concern today with ICD-9 is the lack of specificity of the information conveyed in the codes. The ICD-10 coding system seeks to ratify this challenge with characters in the code that identify left or right, initial encounter versus subsequent encounter and other important clinical information. With ICD-10, codes will increase in detail, offering more information, and also, greater laterality.

Another challenge with ICD-9 is that some of the chapters have reached capacity, so there is no way to add new codes. To help ratify this, new codes have been assigned to various chapters. However, this often makes it difficult for these codes to be located. Under the ICD-10 coding system, codes have increased in character length, which greatly increases the number of codes for future use and decreases the chances that chapters will run out of codes.

Overall, the move from ICD-9 code sets to ICD-10 code sets will mean more details, terminology changes and expanded concepts for laterality, injuries and other related factors. According to the AMA, while the complexity of ICD-10 will provide many benefits, the complexity also enhances the need for comprehensive ICD-10 training in order to fully grasp the changes that accompany the new code sets.

Early ICD-10 preparation is a smart choice. With advanced preparation, you can allow yourself adequate time to grasp all the necessary changes, as well as increase your marketability to health care facilities, doctors and more, who will need ICD-10 trained individuals to help ensure a smooth transition.

Consider taking an online ICD-10 course and enjoy the flexibility of self-paced learning that allows you to keep your career on track, focus on other personal responsibilities when needed and study 24/7 - in other words, when it's most convenient for you. Before you know it, the October 1, 2013 deadline will be here, so take charge, seek out flexible, online ICD-10 training and gain the peace-of-mind and career edge you deserve.

Are you a professional medical coder? Learn about ICD-10 Codes changes and how to prepare for ICD-10.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

ICD10 Codes - The Shocking Truth

October 2013 seems a long way away with little need to prepare now for the changes from ICD9 to ICD10 codes but I recently learned the shocking truth. The Healthcare Billing and Management Association held a conference in Boca Raton this month with a session attended by approximately 200 medical billers on the new ICD10 codes. Even though I have looked into the changes and even written on them, I was shocked to hear all that is really involved. We all need to start paying attention now.

My original questions revolved around whether all doctors will be expected to start using ICD10 codes on a specific day and will all the insurance companies be ready to accept them on that same day or will it be more of a transitional thing like the NPI numbers were.

My first surprise was that ICD10 codes are already in effect in all the rest of the world. Other countries have been using them for years. We are way behind the times with regard to the rest of the world.

My second surprise was that ICD9 codes are not just being expanded. ICD10 codes are totally different than ICD9 codes. We won't just add another number and there aren't just a few small changes. ICD10 codes will identify much more information about the visit than ICD9s do. ICD10 codes will contain an expansion of disease classification with greater specificity. They will be much more detailed and will help identify fraudulent billing practices. There will be no 1 to 1 crosswalk. This means that a 309.28 will not equal a A40258Z. You won't take an ICD9 and turn it into an ICD10. They are completely different.

My next thought was how are my doctors going to learn all these codes? We bill many small specialty practices. Many of our chiropractors still do not understand the requirements by Medicare for the ICD9 codes. How are they ever going to get the ICD10 ones right? How are our psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers going to learn ICD10 coding? Most of these are single practitioners who work alone and do not hire a coder.

ICD10 coding will require more clinical information such as "did the patient use tobacco", "did the patient use alcohol", "which finger was cut", "which part of the finger", "was the nail damaged". The new codes will contain alpha characters as well as numeric. The number 1 can mean 15 different things. It is estimated that it will require 24 - 40 hours of classroom education to understand the concepts of ICD10 coding.

Another consideration with the codes now using alpha characters as well as numeric is whether your software will allow you to use alpha characters. If you are using a web based software this won't be a problem, but if you have a server based software, you will want to check with your vendor and make sure you will be able to submit alpha characters in diagnosis codes.

The speaker felt that unspecified codes may be a problem as insurance carriers have yet to tell us if they will pay on unspecified codes with the new changes. Pre-authorization policies will have to be rewritten. Workers comp is not subject to ICD10 changes so some companies say they will not process the ICD10 codes. For a period of time both ICD9 and ICD10 codes will be in effect. Does this sound confusing enough to the average biller yet?

Then came the bombshell. Insurance carriers are not ready for ICD10 codes and most of them won't be ready. Many have announced that they will try to translate the ICD10 code back into an ICD9 code to pay the claim. This means doctors will be translating the ICD9 codes they are familiar with into a new unfamiliar ICD10 code and the insurance carriers will be translating this ICD10 code back into hopefully the same ICD9 code to pay the claim. I can only imagine the problems this will present.

As one of the speakers said "Hold onto your butts! It's going to be a rough ride!"

Alice Scott and her partner/daughter Michele Redmond offer a free forum where you can keep up with current changes which affect medical billing. You can ask questions relating to medical billing or read about what is happening to others in the field. They also offer a free newsletter and informative website with many articles on medical billing. Alice and Michele have authored 9 books on medical billing which are offered for sale on Amazon.com and as immediate digital downloads from their websites.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

ICD10 Codes - The Shocking Truth

October 2013 seems a long way away with little need to prepare now for the changes from ICD9 to ICD10 codes but I recently learned the shocking truth. The Healthcare Billing and Management Association held a conference in Boca Raton this month with a session attended by approximately 200 medical billers on the new ICD10 codes. Even though I have looked into the changes and even written on them, I was shocked to hear all that is really involved. We all need to start paying attention now.

My original questions revolved around whether all doctors will be expected to start using ICD10 codes on a specific day and will all the insurance companies be ready to accept them on that same day or will it be more of a transitional thing like the NPI numbers were.

My first surprise was that ICD10 codes are already in effect in all the rest of the world. Other countries have been using them for years. We are way behind the times with regard to the rest of the world.

My second surprise was that ICD9 codes are not just being expanded. ICD10 codes are totally different than ICD9 codes. We won't just add another number and there aren't just a few small changes. ICD10 codes will identify much more information about the visit than ICD9s do. ICD10 codes will contain an expansion of disease classification with greater specificity. They will be much more detailed and will help identify fraudulent billing practices. There will be no 1 to 1 crosswalk. This means that a 309.28 will not equal a A40258Z. You won't take an ICD9 and turn it into an ICD10. They are completely different.

My next thought was how are my doctors going to learn all these codes? We bill many small specialty practices. Many of our chiropractors still do not understand the requirements by Medicare for the ICD9 codes. How are they ever going to get the ICD10 ones right? How are our psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers going to learn ICD10 coding? Most of these are single practitioners who work alone and do not hire a coder.

ICD10 coding will require more clinical information such as "did the patient use tobacco", "did the patient use alcohol", "which finger was cut", "which part of the finger", "was the nail damaged". The new codes will contain alpha characters as well as numeric. The number 1 can mean 15 different things. It is estimated that it will require 24 - 40 hours of classroom education to understand the concepts of ICD10 coding.

Another consideration with the codes now using alpha characters as well as numeric is whether your software will allow you to use alpha characters. If you are using a web based software this won't be a problem, but if you have a server based software, you will want to check with your vendor and make sure you will be able to submit alpha characters in diagnosis codes.

The speaker felt that unspecified codes may be a problem as insurance carriers have yet to tell us if they will pay on unspecified codes with the new changes. Pre-authorization policies will have to be rewritten. Workers comp is not subject to ICD10 changes so some companies say they will not process the ICD10 codes. For a period of time both ICD9 and ICD10 codes will be in effect. Does this sound confusing enough to the average biller yet?

Then came the bombshell. Insurance carriers are not ready for ICD10 codes and most of them won't be ready. Many have announced that they will try to translate the ICD10 code back into an ICD9 code to pay the claim. This means doctors will be translating the ICD9 codes they are familiar with into a new unfamiliar ICD10 code and the insurance carriers will be translating this ICD10 code back into hopefully the same ICD9 code to pay the claim. I can only imagine the problems this will present.

As one of the speakers said "Hold onto your butts! It's going to be a rough ride!"

Alice Scott and her partner/daughter Michele Redmond offer a free forum where you can keep up with current changes which affect medical billing. You can ask questions relating to medical billing or read about what is happening to others in the field. They also offer a free newsletter and informative website with many articles on medical billing. Alice and Michele have authored 9 books on medical billing which are offered for sale on Amazon.com and as immediate digital downloads from their websites.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

The Differences Between ICD-9 Codes and ICD-10 Codes

Are you a professional medical coder? Then you have an important job, because your careful coding is vital for proper diagnoses, to monitor the health of the general population, accurate reimbursement, the smooth operation of facilities that provide medical care and more. That's why a firm understanding and comprehensive training for the ICD-10 transition will be incremental to your medical coding career.

ICD-10 will replace ICD-9 on October 1, 2013 as the Unites State's industry-wide coding system. Don't stress. According to the AAPC, ICD-10-CM shares many similarities with ICD-9-CM, like the guidelines, conventions and rules. Anyone who is qualified to code ICD-9-CM should be able to easily make the transition to ICD-10-CM coding with the proper training. However, as a professional medical coder, there are several important differences between the two coding systems that you will need to prepare for.

According to the AAPC, Major Differences Between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM Include:


ICD-9-CM is mostly made up of numeric codes with three to five digits. ICD-10-CM will consist of alphanumeric codes with three to seven digits. The expanded characters of the diagnosis codes will provide more information concerning disease type, severity and anatomic site.

ICD-9-CM has about 13,600 codes and ICD-10-CM will consist of approximately 69,000 codes.

A single ICD-10-CM code can be found to not only pinpoint a particular disease, but also its current manifestation.

The current ICD-9-CM coding system does not require mapping. A two-year transition period, will allow access to both ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding systems until the transition is complete. Mapping will be required so that equivalent codes can be found for outcomes studies, medical necessity edits and more.

These major differences will impact information technology and software.

The transition to ICD-10-CM will help solve certain challenges that exist with the ICD-9-CM coding system. In fact, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), a primary concern today with ICD-9 is the lack of specificity of the information conveyed in the codes. The ICD-10 coding system seeks to ratify this challenge with characters in the code that identify left or right, initial encounter versus subsequent encounter and other important clinical information. With ICD-10, codes will increase in detail, offering more information, and also, greater laterality.

Another challenge with ICD-9 is that some of the chapters have reached capacity, so there is no way to add new codes. To help ratify this, new codes have been assigned to various chapters. However, this often makes it difficult for these codes to be located. Under the ICD-10 coding system, codes have increased in character length, which greatly increases the number of codes for future use and decreases the chances that chapters will run out of codes.

Overall, the move from ICD-9 code sets to ICD-10 code sets will mean more details, terminology changes and expanded concepts for laterality, injuries and other related factors. According to the AMA, while the complexity of ICD-10 will provide many benefits, the complexity also enhances the need for comprehensive ICD-10 training in order to fully grasp the changes that accompany the new code sets.

Early ICD-10 preparation is a smart choice. With advanced preparation, you can allow yourself adequate time to grasp all the necessary changes, as well as increase your marketability to health care facilities, doctors and more, who will need ICD-10 trained individuals to help ensure a smooth transition.

Consider taking an online ICD-10 course and enjoy the flexibility of self-paced learning that allows you to keep your career on track, focus on other personal responsibilities when needed and study 24/7 - in other words, when it's most convenient for you. Before you know it, the October 1, 2013 deadline will be here, so take charge, seek out flexible, online ICD-10 training and gain the peace-of-mind and career edge you deserve.

Are you a professional medical coder? Learn about ICD-10 Codes changes and how to prepare for ICD-10.

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Medical Coding Services and Physicians - What Impact Will the Switch to ICD-10 Have on You?

You have probably heard by now that the required switch to using ICD-10 has been delayed by a few years. You can breathe a little easier for now, but have you begun to consider how your office will implement the changes? And what do these changes mean to you anyway?

A little background...as you know, insurance companies do not pay for "tension headaches" and "15 minute office visits for an established patient" - insurance companies pay for medical diagnosis codes like 307.81 and procedure CPT codes such as 99213. Diagnosis codes, CPT and HCPCS codes all describe patient complaints, illness, procedures and supplies for a submitted claim. The ICD-9 codes currently in use were adopted in the 1960s by the U.S. Since then there have been many advances in healthcare. Under the current coding system, the room to expand is limited. By adding codes under the new system, there will be room to expand and be more specific in reporting.

How much so? Think there are a lot of codes now? Try 68,000 diagnoses codes, up from 13,000 now. For procedure codes (CPT) we go from 3000 codes now to 87,000 codes! What is more, ICD-9 codes will go from up to 5 digits (ex. 307.81) to up to 7.

The deadline for implementation is 2013, which is still in the future. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal: "CMS says it expects implementation of the new system initially will boost by as much as 10% the number of claims returned because of coding errors. But a study by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of insurers predicts billing errors are likely to rise between 10% and 25% in the first year."

If you currently do your billing in-house and file using on-site software, the switch to ICD-10 could be a large expense for updates to your software as well. By the start of 2012 all physicians must begin using the new version of HIPAA transaction standards known as 5010 in order to file claims. This is due to the fact that the current 4010 version does not accommodate ICD-10 codes. Even if you believe you can put off updates to switching to ICD-10, you should at the very least start considering what it will take to update to the 5010 transaction standards.

It may be a good time to consider either a switch to outsourcing your billing to pass the cost off to a billing company, or at least consider an internet based billing program. The advantages with internet based electronic claims filing is that the updates are built in to the platform at no cost to you other than your regular fee of using the service. This could potentially save you thousands upfront as well as over the long run. The whole purpose of the switch to ICD-10 is to accommodate the annual updates in technology and procedures. You can be sure that any in-house software you use for claims filing will require annual updates that can represent cost to you as well.

You can see why it will be more important then ever to have a coder educated on the new codes as a part of your practice. Implementation of the new system will be costly, so when the time comes, out-sourcing your coding could be a cost-saving solution.

Jeff Roh is owner of Profast Billing Solutions, offering physicians billing services and medical coding services. He writes articles on important and current issues relating to insurance billing for the medical community. For more information visit http://www.profastbilling.com

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ICD-10 Codes - How to Make the Transition Smoothly

The transition from ICD 9 to ICD 10 is going to be interesting. In the near future, medical professionals in the US, presently using ICD-9 medical diagnosis codes will need to update this system. The WHO has updated this system to include a better classification of recognized diseases and compatibility with today's medical data recording practices.

These codes have been created to help improve the healthcare community by offering a more comprehensive system of medical information that is consistent around the world. In order that the US maintain effective health information exchange on a more global level, it's vital for medical facilities and others to start adopting ICD-10 codes.

In order to understand the scope of this change, here are a few key points that you should consider:

• There are around 69,000 diagnosis codes in ICD-10 as compared to around 14,000 diagnosis codes in ICD-9 codes 2010.

• While ICD-9 codes contain 3-5 digits, ICD-10 codes contain 3-7 digits.

• Diagnosis codes are important elements of many electronic systems like practice management and EHRs.

• Moreover, diagnosis codes are also key to many health insurance coverage policies and are used in pay-for-reporting and pay-for-performance initiatives.

• While many conventions of ICD-9 code carry over to ICD-10, there'll be a need for physicians, coders, and billers to learn the correct use of the new code set.

These points indicate that the transition will involve many processes within and outside your practice. As such you need to be armed properly and coordinate with hardware and software vendors, claims clearing houses and payers. There are various ways you can prepare yourself for the transition. One way to go about it is by signing up for an audio conference. Going for one will help you stay tuned to what you need to do to make a smooth transition. And in case you have missed the date with a scheduled audio conference, there are CDs and MP3s that you can avail of.

We offers healthcare audio conference and advanced Learning Opportunities by Quality Indicator Survey through all types of audio conferences and exceptional series of training CD's, DVD's & Tapes.

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