ICD-10 Deadline October 1, 2015: Test Your Systems
and Processes
While ICD-10 is almost here, you still have time to get ready. But you must get ready now.
Each day this week we are highlighting 1 of the 5 steps from the new Quick Start Guide:
1) Make a Plan, 2) Train Your Staff, 3) Update Your Processes, 4) Talk with Your Vendors and Health Plans, and 5) Test Your Systems and Processes. Today our focus is:
Step: 5 Test Your Systems and Processes
- Verify that you can use your ICD-10-ready systems to:
- Generate a claim
- Perform eligibility and benefits verification
- Schedule an office visit
- Schedule an outpatient procedure
- Prepare to submit quality data
- Update a patient’s history and problems
- Code a patient encounter
- Test your systems with partners like vendors, clearinghouses, billing services, and health plans; focus on those partners that you work with most often
- Medicare providers can conduct acknowledgement testing with their Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) until the October 1 compliance date
- Explore alternate ways to submit claims to health plans if you think your systems will not be ready for ICD-10 by Oct 1:
- For Medicare providers, options include:
- Ask other health plans you work with about the options they offer
Tips
- Your clearinghouses and billing services can conduct Medicare acknowledgement testing on your behalf
- Many major health plans report that they have portals or other options in place for providers who cannot submit ICD-10 claims electronically
- If you think you might need to use an alternate claims submission method for Medicare, get started now
- Allow time for you and your staff to complete free training on billing software or portals before October 1
- You must register for each MAC portal that you use
- If you are eligible to submit paper claims for Medicare and wish to do so, order CMS 1500 forms from the Government Publishing Office or your office supply store
- Photocopies cannot be used because they cannot be scanned correctly
To learn more about getting ready, visit cms.gov/ICD10 for free resources including the Road to 10 tool designed especially for small and rural practices, but useful for all health care professionals.
Keep Up to Date on ICD-10Visit the CMS ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare. Sign up for CMS ICD-10 Industry Email Updates and follow us on Twitter. |
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