It’s been a long road to get to this point, but today the nation’s healthcare system takes a major step forward in being able to capture more detailed data about patients and their conditions. ICD-10 has nearly five times more codes than were used in ICD-9. Building more robust medical records should ultimately result in more efficient and better quality care.
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The Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing of the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights “Examining Consolidation in the Health Insurance Industry and its Impact on Consumers” on Tuesday September 22, 2015. Aetna and Anthem CEOs testify.
By John Halamka MD – The September 2015 HIT Standards Committee was notable for the naming of new members and for the incorporation of the NwHIN Power Team (Dixie Baker) Standards Maturity model in all of ONC’s planning. Ten members of the committee reached their term limit in June.
Last Friday the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a newly proposed rule that would significantly revise the Medicare payment system for clinical diagnostic laboratory…
By Jim Tate – The lion’s share of the CMS EHR incentives have been paid out, especially for those who participated on the Medicare side of the incentive program. The Meaningful Use (MU) incentives are winding down but it is prudent to keep an eye on the rear view mirror and make sure you are up to date on past MU documentation.
New AHIMA Service to Answer the Toughest ICD-10 Questions, Support Healthcare Organizations During and After Transition. AHIMA’s highly educated, experienced and credentialed experts are now available to the industry to answer the most challenging coding questions for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS, CPT and HCPCS.
By Edgar Wilson – As the saying goes, what got us here won’t keep us here. Politicians, providers, and programmers across the country by now know (or should) that bringing on an enterprise EHR system does not transform care delivery or clinical operations overnight.
By Frank Fortner – Two weeks ago I was out running with my 4-legged BFF (George) a large, muscular 2-year-old Lab mix. Just as we were getting back to the house, I decided to show him I had another even faster gear he wasn’t aware of. He got very excited about that!
The switch to ICD-10 is mandatory for organizations covered by the HHIPAA, known as “HIPAA-covered entities.” Organizations not covered by the HIPAA, or “non-covered entities,” are not required to transition to ICD-10, but are strongly encouraged to do so. Non-covered entities include property and casualty insurance carriers, including auto insurers and workers’ compensation plans.