New Delay for ICD-10 Implementation

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed delaying the effective date for use of the ICD-10 coding system.  While it had been announced that the proposed effective date would be October 1, 2013, the new proposed date is ICD-10:  October 1, 2014.  HHS hopes that the additional time will give providers sufficient opportunity to make the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 more smoothly.  Part of the motivation for delaying ICD-10 implementation was the experience HHS observed making the transition from 4010 to 5010.  Full adoption and implentation of the 5010 platform is essential to adoption and use of the ICD-10 classification system.

The date change will not be official until publised as part of a final rule.  However, HHS does not anticipate serious opposition to delaying the ICD-10 effective date.