Thousands of changes coming in ICD 10 for 2017
With the implementation of ICD-10 and the end of the “grace period” for the use of unspecified codes quickly approaching, pre-bill and post-bill reviews as well as facility-specific on-site education and training are even more important than ever. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are ready to release thousands of changes containing new ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS codes on October 1, 2016, for implementation in 2017.
2017 ICD-10-PCS Procedure Codes :
- The tally of ICD-10-PCS codes for 2017 will be 75,625 an increase of 3,651 new codes, with 487 revised code descriptions.
- Approximately 5,400 codes will be added, changed, or deleted.
- The hospital coders will be having better options to represent procedures due to the additions.
The last annual updates to the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 code sets were made on October 1, 2011. According to the CDC:
- There were only limited code updates to both the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 code sets to capture new technologies and diseases as required by section 503(a) of Pub. L. 108-173 on October 1, 2012, 2013, and 2014.
- There were limited code updates through new Section X to ICD-10-PCS to capture new technologies and diagnoses as required by section 503(a) of Pub. L. 108-173. There were no updates to ICD-10-CM on October 1, 2015.
- On October 1, 2016 (one year after implementation of ICD-10), regular updates to ICD-10 begin.
- 3,549 represent changes to the cardiovascular system of the new codes. The changes relate to unique device values, the addition of bifurcation as a qualifier, and additional specific body parts, as well as congenital cardiac procedures and placement of an intravascular neurostimulator. All of the revised code titles so far have come from changing the number of coronary artery sites to the number of vessels and the specification of the descending thoracic aorta.
- Other new codes include expansion of body part detail in the removal and revision of lower joints. Another addition is the unicondylar knee replacement.
2017 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Codes:
- The changes are significant for physicians.
- 2017 ICD-10-CM will include 1,943 new codes, 305 deleted codes, and 422 revised codes.
- There are hundreds of revisions and improvements (299, to be exact) to the diabetes mellitus codes.
The list of proposed codes is not final.The CDC and CMS released the proposed list early to help providers and vendors prepare for the update. The final list will be released August 1, 2016. This list will add clarity concerning which codes will become effective for FY 2017 and which will be held until FY 2018.
The most important step a coder can take to prepare is not to use unspecified codes, unless there is no other option.
CMS has warned that the ?right family? of code(s) choice that has been eligible for reimbursement in 2016 will no longer be allowed in 2017.
In addition to avoiding unspecified codes, the coder should be sure to review local and national coverage determinations for coding changes. CMS and its Medicare administrative contractors are responsible for updating policies in advance of the October 1, 2016, effective date.