Health Information Management

Healthcare News: AHIMA files comment letter on proposed ICD-10 delay

JustCoding News: Outpatient, May 16, 2012

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The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) continues to advocate for no delay in the implementation date for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS.

Delaying ICD-10 implementation “ignores both the efforts of the healthcare industry and the ability to use the much-improved data code sets to support the crucial data needed to move the nation toward an electronic health record (EHR) and exchange infrastructure that will improve the quality of care through more detailed data, Dan Rode, MBA, CHPS, FHFMA, vice president of advocacy and policy for AHIMA said in the letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
 
Moving the compliance date to October 1, 2014 could also disrupt the Meaningful Use Stage 2 and 3 EHR implementation, Rode said. 
 
If HHS does finalize a delay, Rode urged HHS to limit it to a one-year delay to limit financial and information losses. In addition, HHS and CMS must provide a clear indication that it will not further delay ICD-10-CM or ICD-10-PCS compliance, Rode added.
 
Not everyone agrees with AHIMA’s position. Robert Tennant, senior policy advisor with Medical Group Management Association told HealthLeaders Media that a one-year delay would be helpful, but would not solve the underlying flaws in the current process.
 
To comment on the proposed rule, visit www.regulations.gov. HHS published the proposed rule in the Federal Register April 17 and comments are due within 30 days of publication.   



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