Despite all the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of ICD-10-CM/PCS, the Cooperating Parties (i.e., the American Hospital Association, AHIMA, CMS, and the National Center for Healthcare Statistics) nevertheless decided that the farewell issue of Coding Clinic for ICD-9-CM (which was published in the first quarter of 2014) will remain the farewell issue.
Plenty of uncertainty surrounds the ICD-10 implementation delay, but healthcare organizations shouldn’t put the brakes on their plans. Cheryl Ericson, MS, RN, CCDS, CDIP , William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP , Monica Lenahan, CCS , Shannon E. McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CCDS, and James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, offer thoughts on how to keep moving forward with ICD-10.
ICD-10-PCS root operations Excision and Resection differ only in how much of a body part is removed. Review these situations to clarify which root operation to report.
Upon quick glance, codes for insertion, removal, and revision of pacemakers look quite different in ICD-10-PCS. The good news is that much of the logic that coders use to assign these codes in ICD-9-CM won't change. The silver lining? The procedure itself doesn't change, nor does anatomy.
If coders choose the wrong root operation in ICD-10-PCS, they will arrive at an incorrect code. Nena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer, Gretchen Young-Charles, RHIA, Anita Rapier, RHIT, CCS, and Nelly Leon-Chisen, RHIA, discuss some of the root operation clarifications offered by Coding Clinic .
The ICD-10 implementation delay mandated by Congress this spring granted providers an extra year to prepare their coders and clinicians on the requirements of the new code set, but a recent survey has found some organizations heading in the wrong direction.
Coders need to understand the different approaches for procedures in ICD-10-PCS because they're required and the new system does not include default or unspecified options. Laura Legg, RHIT, CCS, Nena Scott, MS, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, and Gretchen Young-Charles, RHIA, explain the different approaches and address gray areas for selecting the most appropriate character.
ICD-10-PCS root operations Control and Repair are used when a procedure doesn’t really fit into a different root operation. Nena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, and Shannon E. McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CCDS , discuss when coders should use these two root operations.
Queries will no doubt increase due to the increased specificity in ICD-10-PCS. John C. Alexander Jr., MD, MBA, James Fee, MD, CCS, CCDS, and George W. Wood II, MD, offer insight into which specialties will be most impacted and how coders can talk to surgeons about the query process.
ICD-10-PCS will be a big change for inpatient coders. The best way to learn the new coding system is to practice, practice, practice. See how well you know ICD-10-PCS by assigning all applicable ICD-10-PCS codes for the following case.
