HHS confirms October 2015 deadline for ICD-10

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed in a final rule that October 1, 2015, will be the deadline for the implementation of ICD-10.

Related: Resources to prepare for ICD-10

Originally scheduled to begin Oct. 1 this year, the minimum one-year delay to the code set was included in the patch to the Sustainable Growth Rate formula that went into effect on April 1.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a statement saying the new deadline gives the healthcare industry “ample time to prepare for the change.”

“ICD-10 codes will provide better support for patient care, and improve disease management, quality measurement and analytics,” CMS administrator Marilyn Tavenner said in a written statement. “For patients under the care of multiple providers, ICD-10 can help promote care coordination.”

Prior to the delay, surveys showed that medical practices lagged behind in their ICD-10 preparations. A Medical Group Management Association survey released earlier this year found that 79% of respondents had not yet started or were only somewhat ready for the transition. 

But for many practice owners, the cost to upgrade to the new code set remains a top concern. The American Medical Association, which had been clamoring for a delay, released a study in February that found the financial burden to practices had been grossly underestimated. The study estimated that the upgrade could cost small practices between $56,638 and $226,105.  

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