CMS: Further ICD-10 delay "not an option that is being considered"

ORLANDO—Will there be another delay in ICD-10 implementation? “That is not an option that is being considered,” said Matthew Albright, director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS') Office of E-Health Standards and Services, speaking to Clinical Innovation + Technology at the Health Information and Management Systems Society’s annual conference.

The cost estimates for ICD-10, for the most part, represent money already spent at this point, he said, so further delays won’t do much to alleviate the burden.

CMS has agreed to end-to-end testing in response to industry, he said. “We know we need to provide support.”

Despite continued efforts to delay implementation, “we need to move toward the ICD-10 transition as an industry.” Albright said most hospitals are “well on their way” so CMS now is targeting smaller providers. “We are offering technical assistance right at the provider level.”

The testing will help CMS “make sure the claim pathway is smooth.” As a payer, Medicare is secure that its systems are ready, he added. “It will be interesting to see if there are obstacles along the pathway.” CMS wants to make sure providers are given opportunities to ensure their doctors can document appropriately, test their coders, test their vendors and perform testing of all the other steps. To be successful with ICD-10 and testing of the coding system, “you can’t just be good at one thing.”

Numerous resources exist for those healthcare providers still struggling to prepare for ICD-10. “[CMS] has tremendous resources and we’re hearing about a lot of support from health plans helping providers along.” Albright suggested that providers look to their trading partners for more resources.

“The less you prepare, the more costs you’ll have on October 1.”