Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Plus: The ICD-10 mapping tool is going away soon.

If you've lagged behind on using NPIs for checking patients' Medicare status, the honeymoon is nearly over.

Now: In the Common Working File, providers currently "are allowed to use either legacy Provider Numbers (CMS Certification Number [CCN] or Unique Physician Identification Number [UPIN]) or NPI on CWF Provider Queries" to check patients' eligibility," CMS says in a recent MLN Matters article.

Then: As of Jan. 2, 2018, CWF will accept only an NPI as a valid Provider Number for such queries, CMS says in the article at www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM10098.pdf.

In other news ...

The effective date for ICD-10 2018 code updates is fast approaching on Oct. 1, and for the last time Medicare will help you out with the transition with General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs).

"This is the last year that the GEMs will be produced," the CMS notes.

To see links to the GEMs and other information, visit www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/2018-ICD-10-CM-and-GEMs.html.

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