Billing News - Technical Pronouncements

ICD-10 HIPAA transaction standards

The current set of outpatient diagnoses codes, the International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) will be replaced by the tenth edition (ICD-10-CM). Physician practices and others must begin submitting ICD-10-CM diagnoses codes by Oct. 1, 2013.

Administrative transactions standards

CMS released the final rule mandating the latest set of administrative transactions standards as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The ASC X12N 5010 standards replace the current ASC X12N 4010A1 version of the electronic transactions standards. CMS has set Jan.1, 2012, as the compliance date for the 5010 standards.

Comment:

These will require an immense amount of work by provider and tech geeks to make this work.

The government's attempts to make health care billing totally incomprehensible continue apace.


(Sources include Modern Healthcare and the Medical Group Management Association.)