In November 2011, the AMA put ICD-10 in its crosshairs, saying it would “work vigorously to stop implementation of ICD-10.” The AMA has argued ICD-10 will burden physicians with “no direct benefit to individual patients’ care,” and it will be too costly as physicians also grapple with electronic health records.
ICD-10 is currently set to go live Oct. 1, 2014. However, ICD-10 has already been used worldwide since the early 1990s, and the World Health Organization is getting ready to finalize a beta version of ICD-11 by May 2015, which has led many in the industry to advocate for a direct jump to ICD-11 so the U.S. coding procedures are up to snuff with the rest of the world.
In addition to advocating for further delays of ICD-10, the AMA board of trustees did not recommend skipping ICD-10 and moving directly to ICD-11, saying there are “even greater complexities and uncertainties.”
The physician advocacy group said there are some advantages to moving from ICD-9 to ICD-11, such as the need for physicians to undergo one implementation period instead of two. However, the AMA said there were too many disadvantages, such as lost knowledge and a potential 20-year timeframe to implement ICD-11.
More ARticles on Coding, Billing and Collections:
Texas Medical Association Backs Legislation to Streamline Billing Processes
4 Approaches to Promote Customer Satisfaction at ASCs
Where Should ASCs Be With ICD-10? 4 Points From Lindsay Hanrahan of SourceMedical
At the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, taking place June 11-13 in Chicago, spine surgeons, orthopedic leaders and ASC executives will come together to explore minimally invasive techniques, ASC growth strategies and innovations shaping the future of outpatient spine care. Apply for complimentary registration now.
