Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
CMS Urges Contractors to Add ICD-10 Codes to National Coverage Determinations
PDF
Plus: CMS podcast reminds practices that phase 2 of ‘ordering/referring’ edits is coming soon.
Ever since rumblings of ICD-10 first began, practices have wondered when National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) would replace applicable ICD-9 codes with the corresponding ICD-10 codes—and it appears that time has come.
On Jan. 18, CMS instructed contractors to start the process of creating and updating NCDs that contain ICD-9 codes. CMS said that carriers should assign comparable ICD-10 codes to them by the ICD-10 implementation date of Oct. 1, 2014. The directive was part of MLN Matters article MM8109.
This should help practices immeasurably, since inclusion of applicable ICD-10 codes on NCDs could at least offer a window into how Medicare payers will view each new diagnosis code and which codes it deems payable for particular services.
To read the complete MLN Matters article, visit www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM8109.pdf.
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