Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

March 3 is less than a month away, so Part B MACs are prepping now for ICD-10 testing week, which contractors will host from March 3 through March 7. During that week, you’ll have an opportunity to submit claims with ICD-10 codes on them to ensure that you’re filling out your claim forms properly and that you’ll be completely prepared when ICD-10 takes effect on Oct. 1.

According to NGS Medicare, a Part B payer, you can register now for testing, but you’ll have to keep these items in mind when you start submitting your test claims:

• All ICD-10 test files must have a “T” in the ISA15 Test/Prod indicator field
• You must use current dates of service for the claims—future dates will be rejected
• You must use valid ICD-10 codes, and you cannot mix ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes on the claim—you can only use ICD-10 codes.

To confirm your registration for ICD-10 testing week and what you’ll need to prepare, visit your MAC’s website or contact your payer representative for details.