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Is your practice coding to the highest specificity. If not it may impact your bottom line.

In guidance released recently, CMS said that it “will not extend ICD-10 flexibilities beyond October 1, 2016. There will be no additional flexibility guidance. The agency also said that Medicare will not phase in the requirement to code to the highest level of specificity. “Providers should already be coding to the highest level of specificity. ICD-10 flexibilities were solely for the purpose of contractors performing medical review so that they would not deny claims solely for the specificity of the ICD-10 code as long as there is no evidence of fraud. As of October 1, 2016, providers will be required to code to accurately reflect the clinical documentation in as much specificity as possible, as per the required coding guidelines,” CMS said in the updated guidance.

It appears 2015 will be the year providers will be mandated to move to the ICD10 code set.  As practices make preparations these resources will be valuable:

CMS:

http://www.roadto10.org/

BCBSM Professional Testing tool:

http://bcbsmicd10providerregistry.highpoint-solutions.com/