CMS extends ICD-10 and ICD-9-CM partial code freeze
APCs Insider, May 30, 2014
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CMS announced last week that its long-standing ICD-10 and ICD-9-CM partial code freeze will continue through 2015, with no updates made to either code set this year.
The partial code freeze will be lifted one year after ICD-10's implementation date, which CMS is planning to set as October 1, 2015, with an interim final rule in "the near future." Both code sets last received a regular update in 2011.
"There was considerable support for this partial freeze," according to a CMS release. During the 2012 ICD-10 delay, Pat Brooks, RHIA, senior technical advisor at CMS, indicated CMS believed doing away with the code freeze "would be rather catastrophic," for both CMS and providers.
Despite the partial freeze allowing limited updates for new technology and diseases, none were made this year. There are currently no plans to further update ICD-9-CM. A limited update is planned on October 1, 2015, for ICD-10, with regular updates beginning one year later.
While a code freeze extension was expected after another ICD-10 delay, this is good news for providers. The delay gives providers another year to update their software and technology for the new code set, continue coder training, and refine physician education. Lifting the partial freeze and introducing new codes would have only complicated that process.
That's not to say ICD-10 couldn’t use the update. There are at least 500 updates ready to be made to ICD-10, according to Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, CPEDC, vice president of ICD-10 education and training for AAPC. There will likely be many more by the time the first update is made October 1, 2016.
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