Thursday, July 7, 2011

CMS releases proposed changes to ICD-9 2012

Ensure your systems are updated with the just-in codes.

Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed changes to ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes 2012, which are effective for dates of service on or post October 1 this year. This time, as in previous years, there are hundreds of additions, changes and deletions. These codes are compulsory for all health insurance claims filed from October 1 this year till September 30, 2012.

These changes have been approved by the ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee and were published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2011.

Key: Post the October 1 deadline goes into effect, the agency will only add new ICD-9 codes on an emergency basis as it gears up to switch over the diagnosis coding system to ICD-10.

Good news for dermatology coders: If you're a dermatology coder, there's good news for you as you will be more spot on with the reporting of the location of carcinomas and other neoplasms of the skin.

Obsolete: When ICD 9 2011 codes go into effect, 173.0 will become an invalid diagnosis code.

This time, there is an expansion of the 173.x (Other malignant neoplasm of skin) series. In this series, each code will get a list of fifth digits that'll specify whether the malignant neoplasm is basal cell, squamous cell or unspecified.

Dermatology coders will now report 173.0 for any non-malanoma malignant neoplasm of the lip. When these codes go into effect, coders can take a pick from 173.00, 173.01, 173.02, and 173.09.

What you should do now?

With just a few months before implementation, now is the time to act. Get your systems updated today!

Be prepared for: Will there be any expanded skin neoplasm codes when coders update their diagnosis codes in 2013 with ICD-10? Well, it's not sure.

For the latest on ICD 9 2012 changes and for other medical coding updates, sign up for a good coding resource like Supercoder.

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