MY FELLOW MEDICAL CODERS!!!! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!! We will continue to fall behind the world market. This afternoon, the US House of Representatives passed a bill, H.R. 4302 – Protecting Access to Medicare, containing language that would delay the implementation of ICD-10-CM/PCS for one year. In less than 24 hours, AHIMA members made nearly 6,000 phone calls to Capitol Hill and sent many more e-mails and social media posts voicing to legislators a strong opposition to any delay. This bill has now been referred to the US Senate for consideration. This will require an increased effort by AHIMA members to ensure this bill does not pass in the Senate. The bill mainly adjusts the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) for physician Medicare payments. But section 212 of the bill also states that the Department of Health and Human Services cannot implement the ICD-10 code set until October 1, 2015—a year later than the current date of October 1, 2014. AHIMA is calling on all proponents of ICD-10 to contact their senators and ask that they pass a clean bill to fix SGR and not delay ICD-10. Physician reimbursements under Medicare should not be tied legislatively to ICD-10 implementation. Senators are expected to vote in the coming days on an SGR fix that could delay ICD-10, but a vote date has not yet been set. Call Your Senators to Request Removal of Delay Provision AHIMA is urging members and other stakeholders to call your senators today and voice your opposition to a delay of ICD-10 in the SGR fix. The Senate is expected to vote soon, so it is important to contact your senators as soon as possible. The Web page linked above will allow you to enter your zip code to look up your senators contact information.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 01:21:24 +0000