The ICD-10 deadline is not too far off. Although you should not start your intensive in-depth ICD-10 training until six to nine months prior to implementation, you can prepare yourself in other ways now.
To gear up for this, you should start identifying medical record documentation improvement opportunities. The new coding system will not require you to improve your documentation, however, the higher the quality of your documentation, the easier it’ll be to avoid using unspecified codes and the faster you will find the right ICD-10 code(http://www.supercoder.com/coding-newsletters/icd-10-coding-alert).
To add to it, you can start learning the basic structure, organization and unique features of ICD-10 and boost your knowledge of biomedical concepts so you will not be tripped up by more enhanced code definitions and descriptions.
One question that’s top most on everyone’s mind is whether you can start testing and using ICD-10 codes before October 1, 2013 if your practice is ready. The answer is yes you can start with some internal testing of ICD-10 and also of your 5010 system. However what you cannot do is to submit ICD-10 codes to any payers for services carried out prior to October 1, 2013. It’s also recommended that you work with software vendors way before time to confirm that no issues will exist with claims submissions using ICD-10.
Also questions like whether CMS will revise the CMS-1500 form to accommodate ICD-10’s longer codes will occupy your mind, among other things.
If such questions cloud your mind, it’s time you took the help of a reliable source of information. A good way to stay abreast is by signing up for a one-stop medical coding guide which will provide you with all possible answers.
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