Policy & Regulation News

ICD-10 Week is Here: Implementation Preparation Checklists

By Jacqueline DiChiara

- ICD-10 implementation kicks off in only two days on this Thursday, October 1, 2015. Will the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 be as seamless and simplified as the recent change of seasons from steamy summer to abundant autumn? Despite earlier discussions about the possibility of yet another ICD-10 delay, ICD-10 implementation will officially begin shortly, as confirmed last week by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

ICD-10 implementation checklist

As RevCycleIntelligence.com reported last week, the healthcare industry may not be able to properly assess the damages related to ICD-10 aftermath until time has passed and the claims details dust has cleared. Many have offered their expert opinions to RevCycleIntelligence.com about what may come next. Nonetheless, there is still time to prepare and perhaps doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

Here is a last-minute collection of various ICD-10 checklist information imperative to review to make sure your preparation levels are maximized. Get ready, get set, and make a last-minute checklist today with your colleagues to identify areas of needed focus within the next several days.

CMS recommends referring to its ICD-10 FAQs

  • Community-Level Social Risk Adjustment Did Not Address Payment Disparities
  • Long-Term Care Demand to Double Despite Workforce Constraints
  • 72% of Clinicians See No Adjustment Under Value Modifier in 2018
  • Last Friday, CMS announced yet another reminder to the healthcare industry about its ICD-10 FAQs list outlining various requirements and offering verification for those claims spanning a range of dates across September and October.

    As RevCycleIntelligence.com reported, another of CMS's checklists outlines the top five steps to focus on now to ensure ICD-10 readiness:

    • Formulate a plan, decide clearinghouse roles
    • Develop a well-trained staff, identify top codes
    • Update your processes, get your forms ready to go
    • Confirm systems are ready via vendors, health plans
    • Test your systems and processes

    Hospital leaders should batten down the hatches 

    As recommended by the American Hospital Association (AHA), hospital leaders are encouraged to check their internal systems, verify external partner readiness, and consider financial protections before the October go-live kicks into gear. AHA’s advice includes identifying training gaps for staff members, coders, clinicians, and others, as well as verifying vendor software updates are formally in place. Have Medicare contractor and commercial insurer contact information on hand, says AHA. Additionally, consider establishing credit lines in case revenue cycle take a massive detrimental hit to keep practices from closing their doors, AHA maintains. Perhaps secure at least 6 months of cash or credit as a safety net.

    Consider available resources to pull you through

    A plethora of ICD-10 based resources is available to help make the ICD-10 transition seamless, including:

    Monitor what is happening now to know what will happen later

    As HealthITAnalytics.com reported, it is imperative to assess current reimbursement metrics under the ICD-9 blanket. Recognize the length of time it generally takes for a claim to process, as well as how often a claim is accepted the first time around. Promoting such awareness will help ensure more seamless revenue cycle operations for October, November, and beyond.

    Will ICD-10 be a perfect 10? Preparation is key!

    It is hopeful at least one piece of the aforementioned information will aid ICD-10 implementation preparation efforts as the final countdown begins in only two days and September pushes steadily onwards.