ICD-10 Deadline October 1, 2015: Talk to Your Vendors and Health Plans

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Get Ready Now with the New CMS Quick Start Guide!

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
5. and Test Your Systems and Processes. Today our focus is

Step: 4 Talk to Your Vendors and Health Plans

• Call your vendors to confirm the ICD-10 readiness of your practice’s systems
• Confirm that the health plans, clearinghouses, and third-party billing services you work with are ICD-10 ready
• Ask vendors, health plans, clearinghouses, and third-party billers about testing opportunities

Tips

• You can use forms available in the Road to 10’s Template Library to guide discussions with vendors, health plans, clearinghouses, and billing services
• Double check that you’ve identified all systems that use ICD codes—e.g., practice management systems, electronic health record (EHR) products—when contacting vendors
• Update contracts with vendors and health plans as needed
• Transition costs for small medical practices could be substantially lower than projected earlier:
  • Many EHR vendors are including ICD-10 in their systems or upgrades—at little or no cost to their customers
  • Software and systems costs for ICD-10 could be minimal for many providers

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.