The department of Health and Human Services (HHS) decision to delay
ICD-10 compliance by one year (to October, 2014) may have come as a much
needed relief for coding professionals. At the same time, looking at
the enormity of the task in terms of switching over to a comprehensive
ICD-10 regimen, one feels that it is going to make hardly any difference
considering the intensity of the job ahead:
- Learning a new code set, which is more specific and many times the existing ICD-9
- Being certified for possessing the requisite caliber for ICD-10 coding
-
Being conversant with the HIPAA 5010 and electronic interface for
coding and processing physicians’ claims with Medicare and multiple
private insurance schemes
Amidst these intervening conditions, one is tempted to ask the question:
-
Do you have enough time to be ready by the eventual deadline, and how
best can you utilize the one-year extension to fully test your
theoretical and technical knowledge against the real world of ICD-10
compliant billing and coding?
Most of the intervening period is going to be consumed by the training requirements
for ICD-10. As ICD-10 requires you to be ICD-10-CM Anatomy and
Pathophysiology, and General ICD-10-CM Code Set, a considerable time is
lost to sourcing and learning these pre-requisites. And adding to this
overwhelming responsibility is getting trained for specialty-specific
proficiency in one’s chosen discipline/s.
While training makes you familiar and conversant with ICD-10 norms, it
is no guarantee that you will be ensured with lucrative professional
career. As most of prospective employers go by certification
credentials, you would require to be certified by competent
authorities. Preparing for certification credentials has its own demand
and would necessarily involve time and resource. Amongst many
certification credentials that are available, the following are widely
accepted as the most-sought-after by employers:
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
- Certified Professional Coder – Outpatient Hospital (CPC-H)
- Certified Professional Coder – Payer (CPC-P)
- Certified Interventional Radiology Cardiovascular Coder (CIRCC)
- Specialty Credentials
- Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA)
- Certified Professional Compliance Officer - CPCO
- Certified Physician Practice Manager (CPPM)
Besides these two primary tasks, you will also have to contend with the task of being familiar with technology interface
for ICD-10 and HIPAA 5010. Since the technology interface for ICD-10
and HIPAA 5010 is more comprehensive in nature, you may have to undergo
specific orientation in sync with unique demands of your prospective
clients’ (physicians) clinical and operational models. Moreover, you may
also have to upgrade physicians’ internal technology platforms to
complement external technology environment.
Therefore, despite the delay, medical coders’ task of ICD-10
compliance continues to be as usual: intense and demanding. The one-year
delay may, at best, allow you a little time to test your acquired
knowledge.
While you continue to be on-course to your ICD-10 compliance, Medicalbillersandcoders.com’s (www.medicalbillersandcoders.com) ICD-10 resources should offer you timely help. Our unique ICD-10 training and orientation program is feature-rich with webinars, forums, and online learning materials and latest updates.
Check for our next update - What percentage of the market has already moved into ICD-10?
