A basic change coming to diagnosis coding is that ICD-10 codes will be made of numerals and letters. Which means healthcare documentation and billing software will need a total rewrite.
That shouldn't be too big of an issue if your medical practice is HIPAA 5010 compliant. Because being able to handle alpha-numeric diagnosis codes is a requirement.
And don't worry if your letters are lower case or upper case. Either will be acceptable on medical claims.
- Coding for Whooping Cough: There is now a combination code to include pneumonia instead of a whole new diagnosis code. (For The Record)
- Only a famous death will do: There have been some bizarre deaths in history, and there are ICD-10 codes for them. Sort of. (ICD-10 Trainer)
- Continue to Focus on Gangrene and Obstruction to Untangle Umbilical Hernia Diagnoses: There will continue to be three code choices. (SuperCoder Bolt)
This is a weekly feature that I use to highlight practical tips on how to use and understand ICD-10-CM/PCS codes. Please let me know of any other sources that I can include.