Over the last few months, there seems to have been an endless string of stories focused on the how ICD-10 will change the entire industry – specifically how clinicians will be impacted. While the clinical side will need to ensure more detailed documentation occurs, the business side of healthcare will also have to adjust their workflow and habits for the new code set.

To have a successful ICD-10 implementation, practices are going to have to understand key operational revenue cycle metrics and what they mean to the practice’s bottom line. Here are some suggestions to help manage the business side of ICD-10:

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As practices begin working on the transition to ICD-10, more and more questions are emerging every day. Here’s a look at four Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), with answers to help you prepare:

FAQ: What is the difference between ICD-10-PCS codes and ICD-10-CM codes?

ICD-10-CM codes are diagnosis codes. They are defined globally by the World Health Organization (WHO), but are modified for use in the United States by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Most professional, outpatient and ambulatory practices will use ICD-10-CM codes.

By contrast, ICD-10-PCS codes are procedure codes. These codes are created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and are only used on inpatient, facility-based claims. Ambulatory practices will continue to use CPT procedure codes, just as they do now, when ICD-10 takes effect.

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As an industry, the transition to HIPAA 5010 has been a learning opportunity – especially showing the benefits of planning and questioning a vendor’s capabilities early on. These lessons can be taken and applied to the next big transition – ICD-10, which will be the required coding set starting on October 1, 2013. Many people in the industry believe that there is plenty of time before the transition, and that they can start the transition process at a later time. However, now is the time for practices to start preparing for the coding change. So when I was recently given the opportunity to speak with a writer from For the Record about how the transition to ICD-10 would impact the industry and how practices should prepare, I was happy to share my thoughts.

At the start of this conversation, we focused on how this transition would impact everyone in the healthcare industry. It was the coders, though, that quickly became the focal point of our discussion. Specifically, we talked about the types of questions coders should be asking when preparing an ICD-10 transition plan. These questions include:

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Thank you to everyone who joined us on December 6 for our latest webinar, 5010 and ICD-10 – What You Must Know Now. During the one-hour event, industry expert, Ken Bradley, Vice President of Strategic Planning at Navicure, discussed where the industry is and where your practice should be with regards to 5010 and ICD-10; what to do if you have not begun preparing for 5010; how to fix the biggest problems practices are having with the 5010 requirements; and what steps you can take for ICD-10 revenue management success.

To learn more about how you can prepare for these two transitions, click here  to download the webinar recording.

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The process of preparing for and converting to ICD-10 has many moving parts. As practices, health plans, and other vendors work toward the October 1, 2013 deadline, I have been hearing lots of questions about how to successfully manage the conversion. Today, I will answer a few of the more commonly asked questions pertaining to the conversion.

At this point, what stage should our payers be in regarding ICD-10 implementation? Should they be ahead of us?

Since payers and vendors will lay the technology groundwork for what practices must do to successfully transition to ICD-10, they should be well into their ICD-10 work plan and ahead of where practices are today. Most large health plans are in the midst of readying themselves for the new code set and may be starting small tests. It is a good idea to reach out to your payers to understand their progress to date, as well as how you can work with them to make the ICD-10 transition as smooth as possible.

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Thank you to everyone who joined us on September 22 for our latest webinar, 5010 and ICD-10: Ensure Minimal Impact for Your Practice. During the one-hour event, industry expert Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, CGSC, COBGC, CPEDC, CENTC, the American Academy of Professional Coders’ Vice President of ICD-10 Education and Training, discussed how careful planning can ensure organizations have minimal financial and operational disruptions when 5010 and ICD-10 are implemented and what steps your practice can be taking now to prepare both business and clinical staff members for the pending changes.

To learn more about how your practice can improve its ability to track quality measurements and prepare your staff for the 5010 and ICD-10 changes, click here to download the webinar recording.

This program meets AAPC guidelines for 1.0 Core A or 1.0 CPCO specialty CEUs. On Demand product requires successful completion of a Post-Test for continuing education units.

Are you prepared for the 5010 and ICD-10 transitions? If not, your business operations and clinical efforts could come to a standstill. However, careful planning can ensure that these types of disruptions do not occur. In fact, these transitions can actually be an opportunity for your organization to improve both types of operations. In this complimentary webinar, learn ways to minimize the financial impact of the 5010 and ICD-10 transitions and how to analyze the changes to clinical care that most practices will experience.

Join us on Thursday, September 22 at 1:00 pm EDT, for a free webinar: 5010 and ICD-10: Ensure Minimal Impact for Your Practice. Register now.

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Thank you to everyone who joined us on June 16 for our latest webinar, 5010 and ICD-10: A Starter’s Guide to a Successful Transition. During this one-hour event, industry expert, Ken Bradley, Vice President of Strategic Planning at Navicure, discussed the steps every practice should be taking to prepare for 5010 and ICD-10; the internal business operations that will be impacted; and what key questions you should be asking each of your HIT vendors right now to prepare.

To learn more about 5010 and ICD-10 and how to prepare for the transitions, click here to download the recorded webinar.

* This program meets AAPC guidelines for 1.0 Core A or 1.0 CPCO specialty CEUs. On Demand product requires successful completion of a Post-Test for continuing education units.

Thank you to everyone who attended our March 24 webinar, ICD-10 and 5010 – Understanding the Challenge at Hand. In this one hour event, industry expert, Kim Reid, CPC, approved PMCC instructor for the American Academy of Professional Coders and Northeast Regional Director for AAPC Physician Services, highlighted the distinctions between 5010 and ICD-10; potential challenges practices would face during both transitions; and key steps practices should be taking right now to prepare.

Click here to download this free webinar to learn more about the ICD-10 and 5010 changes and how they will impact your practice.

Earn 1.0 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) by viewing this webinar.

We are happy to announce the launch of a new website – ICD-10 Hub – which is part of a new partnership between Navicure and AAPC. The purpose of the site is to provide all medical practices with helpful information and in-depth resources to assist with the 5010 and ICD-10 transitions. ICD-10 Hub will compliment and bolster the practice management information you already receive on this blog.

Devoted to helping every practice successfully move to 5010 and ICD-10, ICD-10 Hub allows you to download webinars, read blogs and catch up on the latest news the industry has to offer. Some of the content currently available includes:

• 5010 Timeline – This one-page overview details what steps you and your technology vendors should be taking, plus when to successfully transition to 5010.
• ICD-9 to ICD-10 Mapping – This reference sheet lays out how ICD-9 codes translate to ICD-10 codes.
• 5010 Payer Announcement Updates – This “living” document relays the steps each individual payer has taken and is planning to take in the near future to ensure their preparedness for 5010. This information will be updated frequently with the latest information you need to know.
• Recorded Webinars – Multiple webinars, which each focus on a different aspect of the transitions, are available for free download from the site.

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