Coding system changes anticipated
Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor, November 14, 2008
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is expected to soon alter the coding system that hospitals rely on to bill insurers -- a change that some say is necessary, but that could also initially cause confusion for doctors and consumers, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Hospitals and insurance companies say the new system, known as ICD-10, is needed to keep up with ongoing medical developments. The planned system would dramatically increase the number of codes used to define ailments and procedures to 155,000, almost 10 times as many codes as are being used today.
CMS says the new system will allow doctors to add more details to patients’ medical records, which could help government and industry efforts to implement a nationwide electronic medical-information system. According to federal officials, the changes will also facilitate the tracking of new diseases as they arise.
To read the report in the Wall Street Journal, click here.
Comments
0 comments on “Coding system changes anticipated ”
Related Products
-
The RAC Report
The RAC Report is a free biweekly e-newsletter of useful tips and strategies to get you prepared for the arrival of...
-
Medicare Update for CAHs
Medicare Update for CAHs is a free bi-weekly ezxne that provides specialized information for our CAH (critical access...
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- HIPAA Q&A: Flu shot requirement for hospital employees
- Running an effective peer review committee meeting
- HealthDataInsights posts new issues for medical necessity claims
- Sneak Peek: Effort underway to establish caseload benchmarks
- New FAQ posted on storing laryngoscope blades
- Q/A: Coding for telescopic intraocular lens
- Tip: Perform your own internal investigation prior to government audit
- HIPAA 5010 deadline extended, but threat remains, says AMA
- HHS task force: Consider privacy, security with text messages
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- E-mailed
-
- Running an effective peer review committee meeting
- HIPAA Q&A: Flu shot requirement for hospital employees
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- HHS task force: Consider privacy, security with text messages
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- Q/A: Coding for telescopic intraocular lens
- Q/A: Correct use of modifier -PT
- Tip: Correctly code bilateral pain management procedures
- "Wall fountains" may be spreading Legionnaires to patients, visitors
- 2012 CPT code changes for ASCs: Shoulder and knee scopes and pain management
- Searched