1-21-09
Medicare Delays Implementation of ICD-10 Coding System to October 2013
In a January 16, 2009, regulation finalizing a proposal to transition from ICD-9 CM to ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) heeded the numerous comments of professional organizations, including the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and other stakeholders, that requested a delay in implementation of ICD-10, postponing it from the initially proposed date of October 1, 2011 to a new and later date, October 1, 2013.
AOTA submitted official comments in October 2008 to address the CMS proposal and request a delay in implementation. AOTA cited the large administrative burden on providers and the fact that ICD-10 as proposed does not remedy the lack of functional diagnoses in the current ICD-9 system. Read AOTA’s ICD-10 Proposed Rule comment letter.
AOTA members may view the final ICD-10 rule at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-743.pdf. CMS also issued the final rule for HIPAA electronic transaction standards at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-740.pdf.
