Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

2011 will be the last time for complete update.CMS has followed through on its proposal to update the ICD-9 code set one last time on Oct. 1, 2011. After that time, you won't see any new ICD-9 codes in the set except for those updates required for new technologies and diseases. That's the word from the ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee meeting, held on Sept. 15 and 16, where CMS's Pat Brooks explained the following process for ICD-9 and ICD-10 code updates:Oct 1, 2011: The last, regular, annual updates will be made to the ICD-9 and ICD-10 code setsOct 1, 2012: Limited code updates to the ICD-9 and ICD-10 code sets to capture new technologies and diseasesOct. 1, 2013: Limited code updates to ICD-10 code set to capture new technologies and diagnoses; ICD-9 will no longer be used for reporting purposes, so no updates to that code set will take [...]