On October 1, 2015, CMS implemented the ICD-10 code set which allowed/forced health care providers to use a higher level of specificity when diagnosing their patients.  This new rule made it mandatory for physicians to discontinue use of ICD-9 codes and begin using ICD-10.  In an effort to allow physicians time to get to know the new code set, CMS allowed a 1-year grace period for providers to use “unspecified” ICD-10 codes on Medicare FFS claims.  This grace period, referred to by CMS as “ICD-10 flexibilities”, is coming to an end on October 1, 2016, less than a month from now.  This could cause a wave of claim rejections and denials from CMS and some private insurers if physicians are not careful or do not have someone watching.  To read a Medscape article that goes into more detail on this topic, click here.

Published by:  Medscape:  Robert Lowes  August 26, 2016