Premier is calling for a date certain on the implementation of ICD-10 billing codes, joining others like AHIMA in pressing CMS to set a new start date for conversion of medical and billing codes from ICD-9 to ICD-10.
In an April 24 letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, Premier Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Blair Childs urged CMS to implement on Oct. 1, 2015, the earliest it has the authority to do so, and to quickly announce this intention to the public.
[See also: ICD-10 delay rattles industry groups.]
"Premier's paramount goal is to improve quality while safely reducing costs, which ICD-10 will help to achieve," Childs wrote. "ICD-10-CM/PCS accounts for increased code specificity as well as new diagnoses and procedures not covered by the current ICD-9-CM coding system. This can be foundational in supporting payments that more accurately demonstrate the acuity of the patient."
[See also: ICD-10 delay dismays prepared vendors.]
"Having more thorough and descriptive data will help our healthcare industry's larger transition to rewarding providers for quality of care, resulting in the development of more robust quality measures," Childs added. "Additional specificity will also assist in efforts to identify risk under population health efforts. Moreover, it will help place patients in the most appropriate post-acute care setting."
