ICD-10 Compliance Date in Question

On February 16th Secretary Sebilus of HHS announced they will “initiate a process to postpone the date by which certain health care entities have to comply with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis and procedure codes (ICD-10)”. This brings the current compliance date of October 1, 2013 into question, a date that was previously moved up two years from the original 2011 date. The World Health Organization endorsed ICD-10 in May of 1990, WHO member states began using it starting in 1994. Most every major county except the US has transitioned to ICD-10. In fact the WHO is scheduled to release the Beta version of ICD-11 to the public this coming May.

So what is everyone saying about the delay? Where is the pressure coming from for the delay? Why is the rest of the world so clearly leaving us behind when it comes to collection of health data? Here are my reading picks on the issue.

• AMA Statement in Support Of HHS’ Intent to Delay ICD-10 Compliance Date issued 2/16/12 by President of AMA, Dr. Peter Carmel.
• ICD-10 inches closer to delay, ICD-11 in the wings by Tom Sullivan, Government Health IT. Are we just waiting for ICD-11 and skipping 10?
• AMA happy by ICD-10 delay; HIMSS, not so much by Brendon Naziger of DOTmed News. HIMSS says, “stay on course”.
• The imminent industry-association war over ICD-10 by Tom Sullivan, Government Health IT. It is AMA vs. AHIMA.
• AHIMA: CMS Review No Excuse to Delay ICD-10. The American Health Information Management Association in a statement reminds stakeholders that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has promised to review the timeline of ICD-10 compliance, not change it.
• HIMSS Calls for Maintaining October 1, 2013 ICD-10 Implementation Deadline for Most Healthcare Entities. Press release 2/17/12.