COA aids for transition to ICD-10

COA has two detailed fact sheets to assist doctors and their staff to make the mandated transition to ICD-10; as of this newsletter publication, there are only days left until the October 1, 2015, mandate to use these codes. As doctors know, claims with a date of service on or after October 1, 2015, will be rejected if they do not contain a valid ICD-10 code. And, keep in mind that the ICD-10 codes are not just for governmental claims, such as Medicare or Medi-Cal, but are required for all groups and individuals covered by the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA).The fact sheets are:

•    “Making the Transition: ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Codes”: Provides characteristics of ICD-10 codes, along with tips for implementing the codes and a detailed task list to chart and track your transition progress.
•    “ICD-10 Resource Guide”: An extensive list of online resources available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, AOA, COA, Noridian Healthcare Solutions and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to aid the practice in converting to ICD-10 codes.

VSP has issued a tip sheet which outlines the basic structure and use of ICD-10 and lists the most commonly used diagnosis codes in optometry. Click here to view the tip sheet.

COA and Vision West recently hosted an hour-long webinar, “ICD-10 Update,” that reviews for doctors and staff what to expect with ICD-10, including an ICD-10 overview, differences from ICD-9, documentation and steps to take to prepare for ICD-10. The webinar can be viewed free-of-charge here.

Additionally, while many resources are available as described in the fact sheets, the August 27, 2015, edition of CMS’ MLN Connects® contains many helpful articles for staff and doctors to guide them in a successful ICD-10 transition. (For more ICD-10 transition tips, see “Less than 30 days until ICD-10 – Last minute checklist” and “ICD-10 updates: protect your practice from hackers” in this issue.)