Radiology Coding Alert

Implementation may be just around the corner

If you think keeping up with the new 2009 ICD-9 codes is tough, watch out. In three short years, you may have 68,000 new codes to contend with.

The news: On Aug. 15, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its proposal to replace the ICD-9 codes with the ICD-10 series effective Oct. 1, 2011. Not only would the new code set completely overhaul your claims systems, software, and superbills -- but it could require vast training for your staff.

Here's why: The ICD-9 code series includes roughly 13,000 diagnosis codes. The ICD-10 code set, however, contains roughly 68,000 diagnosis codes that you'll have to wrap your brain around if it's implemented as HHS hopes it will be. For example, your go-to code for subarachnoid hemorrhage in ICD-9 is 430 (Subarachnoid hemorrhage). The current ICD-10 offers a range of subarachnoid hemorrhage codes, including 10 160.X (Subarachnoid hemorrhage) codes.

"We've been thinking of ICD-10 as this far-away prospect that may never take hold," says Heather Corcoran with CGH Billing. "The new announcement sort of brings us back to the reality that this will indeed take effect."

Good news: The rules for assigning ICD-10 codes, as they currently stand, are very similar to the rules for ICD-9. This means that although the codes themselves will change dramatically, you will still follow the same process to determine what conditions to code.

The HHS is currently seeking comments on the proposed ICD-10 code set and transaction standards by Oct. 21. To read more, you can visit the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/TransactionCodeSetsStands/02_TransactionsandCodeSetsRegulations.asp#TopOfPage.