Special Alert
CMS proposes one-year delay for ICD-10
Today the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a rule that proposes to delay ICD-10 one year from Oct. 2013 to Oct. 2014. The one-year delay of ICD-10 is in response to continued concerns from MGMA and others that adoption of the new code sets will prove extremely challenging to physician practices. In its most recent communication to HHS, MGMA called on the government to reconsider its ICD-10 implementation process. Despite the additional time, MGMA contends that failure to make appropriate changes will result in wide-spread disruption of the healthcare system.
The rule also includes a proposal to implement a national health plan identifier, required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). MGMA has long supported adoption of a health plan identifier as a critical step toward administrative simplification. HHS estimates this new identifier will save providers and plans as much as $4.6 billion over 10 years.
MGMA Government Affairs will submit formal comment on this proposal. For additional ICD-10 and ACA information, visit mgma.com/policy/healthit.
