Doctor's Life Magazine, Tampa Bay Doctor's Life Tampa Bay Vol. 1 Issue 6, 2013 | Page 14

What providers
should know about
ICD-10-CM

By Lee Browder
National Director, PAHCS

L

istening to all the hype surrounding the implementation of ICD-10 gives one the impression
it’s going to be VERY difficult to learn and VERY costly. FACT is, ICD-10 isn’t difficult
to learn or use and most of the cost associated with its implementation will be caused by: 1) a
general slowdown due to the learning curve associated with providers, coders, billers, software
providers and insurance companies doing “something different”; 2) reimbursements may slow
dramatically and 3) software may be problematic, depending on the system you are using and the
assistance you get from your vendor(s). To lessen the impact on a practice, we recommend they
have 6 months of cash available so any minor glitch doesn’t become a catastrophe.
Some simple ways to lessen the impact of ICD-10
implementation: 1) Begin now. We recommend purchasing a
2014 ICD-9 codebook that has ICD-10 codes listed (or an ICD-10
DRAFT copy). 2) Coders and Billers in the practice should learn
the ICD-10 codes for the specialty and communicate any new
documentation requirements to the provider(s). 3) Providers need
to work with coders and billers and take the initiative to learn what
new documentation (if any) will be required for your specialty.
4) PRACTICE, make sure everyone who now uses ICD-9 knows
what will be expected when ICD-10 happens. 5) External to the

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office, contact insurance companies and software providers to
ensure they have a plan and will be ready. Keep in mind, for
approximately 6 months coders, billers, insurance companies and
software providers will need to use both ICD-9 and ICD-10.
NOTE: All claims with a date of service before October 1
will use ICD-9. If any of those claims are denied and require
resubmission the ICD-9 code will still be used, even after the
October 1, 2014 transition.

Doctor’s Life Tampa Bay

continued on Page 16
Issue 6, 2013