You could get more time to prepare for the industry switch to ICD-10. CMS announced it would reconsider the current ICD-10 timeline in which
the entire health care industry would have to comply by Oct. 1, 2013 at the American Medical Association’s National Advocacy Conference in Washington Tuesday.
CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner said the agency plans to “re-examine the pace” of implementing ICD-10, marking the first public indication that the 2013 implementation date is not as firm as CMS has repeatedly said it is.
“We want to work with you to make implementation successful,” Tavenner told conference attendees during her keynote address. “I'm committed to you today to work with you to re-examine the pace we implement ICD-10.”
Speaking to a small group of reporters after her remarks, Tavenner declined to specify what types of changes to the timeline CMS would consider or whether the 2013 deadline, announced in 2009, will definitely get pushed back to accommodate provider concern. However, she said CMS would make an announcement on the matter in the next few days.
Tavenner later said that the level of detail in the ICD-10 code set is crucial to thwarting fraud and communicating patient information with other countries, and that CMS is still committed to a full and successful ICD-10 implementation. However, she acknowledged concern from providers that they won't be ready in time, "so we're trying to listen to that."
After months of standing firm on the 2013 deadline, Tavenner's comments mark the first time CMS has expressed a willingness to work with providers on reconsidering the implementation date. Sitting in the first row a mere 20 feet from Tavenner during her keynote address was AMA President Peter Carmel, who has spearheaded the organization's efforts to “vigorously stop implementation” of the expansive code set.