ICD-10 Update

The inclusion of yet another delay to the implementation of ICD-10 in the H. R. 4302 legislation, Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, signed by President Obama on April 1, 2014 caught most by surprise. The Act states:

SEC. 212. DELAY IN TRANSITION FROM ICD–9 TO ICD–10 CODE SETS.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services may not, prior to October 1, 2015, adopt ICD–10 code sets as the standard for code sets under section 1173(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320d–2(c)) and section 162.1002 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations.

However, the first publication indicating an October 1, 2015 implementation date appeared on April 30, 2014. The hospital inpatient proposed rule indicates that ICD-10 will be in place for October 1, 2015. We expect to see an interim final rule released by the Department of Health and Human Services confirming the October 1, 2015 deadline.

Stay tuned for additional information about the deadline and future end-to-end testing dates.