Six powerful Congressmen push CMS for more ICD-10 implementation information

Exactly how ready is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to begin processing International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, (ICD-10) coded claims now, and how much more does it need to do before October 1, 2015, the mandatory implementation deadline? Six of Congress’ most powerful legislators are demanding to know.

In a letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, the chairmen of three of the most influential committees in Congress — Senate Finance, House Ways and Means, and House Energy — plus a ranking member from each, ask that they and their fellow legislators be kept better informed about the ICD-10 implementation process.

Specifically, the legislators — Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee; Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee; Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee; Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee; Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee; and Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee — want CMS to tell them in writing:

• What ICD-10 provider outreach and education efforts CMS will undertake.
• What opportunities CMS will give for stakeholder participation in the ICD-10 readiness planning process.
• How CMS will share best practices to facilitate industry ICD-10 readiness.
• What end-to-end testing CMS will do, and how and when exactly it plans to do this testing.
• Why specifically CMS decided to delay end-to-end testing until 2015.

In addition, the legislators want CMS to give Congress regular progress reports on ICD-10 activities, including expected timelines for completion.

Finally, to make sure everyone who needs to be involved in the implementation efforts is included, the legislators ask that CMS give them information about the participation levels by various stakeholders in outreach, education and testing efforts. If CMS has any concerns about a lack of engagement by some sectors of the health care system, it also should alert Congress to those concerns and present a plan to get these sectors engaged.