The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has confirmed their intention of enforcing the ICD-10 deadline of October 1, 2014. In response to the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) recommendation to continue with the implementation timeframe, a letter was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) indicating that progress toward the ICD-10 transition will be continued.

Robert Tagalicod, Director of CMS’ Office of E-Health Standards and Services, wrote that “Based on your feedback and other stakeholder input, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services believes that the one-year extension offers physician adequate time to train their coders, complete system changeovers, and conduct testing. Furthermore, we have found that many private and public sector health plans, hospitals and hospital systems, and large physician practices are far along in their ICD-10 implementation.”

The October 1, 2014 deadline will not be delayed. Services provided after the compliance deadline has passed will be denied if not accurately billed with the new code set. There is still time to prepare for the future of coding and ensure a smooth transition, but action must be taken immediately.

HC Healthcare Consulting has extensive expertise in coding and billing compliance. Our staff includes certified coders, consultants certified in healthcare compliance, and certified public accountants that are available to provide expert assistance with your ICD-10 implementation efforts, including physician and staff documentation and coding training.  We are also available to assist with your ongoing compliance needs.

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