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ICD-10 seamless for some physicians, a puzzle for others

Physicians weigh in on the mixed bag of the new coding system in our latest ICD-10 Diary project entries.

"The experts said to have six months of operating expenses in the bank [to prepare of ICD-10-related payment delays]. Right-like we have even a week of operating expenses in the bank."

Sue Osborne, DO
Family medicine
Floyd, Virginia

 

 

"Being a solo practitioner has a lot of positives, but there are a few downside things as well, and the paperwork (or computer work) is definitely right up there on the negative side."

 

Pamela J. Miller, OD
Optometrist
Highland, California

 

 

"A seventh digit "A" identifies if the encounter is initial, such as, 'It was A bloody shame you fell into a hole (W17.2XXA) and got bitten by a turtle (W59.21XA).'"

 

Daniel Mark Siegel MD, MS
Dermatologist
Brooklyn, New York

 

 

"Z codes are a problem for us primarily in how the different insurance carriers are handling them."

 

Carl Spear, OD, MBA, FAAO, and
Katie Gilbert-Spear, OD, MPH
Optometrists
Pensacola, Florida

 

 

"ICD-10 does … slow things down a bit since I have to look up every code for every patient."

 

Carla J. Lambert, MD
Family medicine
Beltsville, Maryland

 

 

"Things are going pretty smoothly, but 5% of our cases are taking up 90% of our coding discussion for ICD-10.

 

Mile Brujic, OD
Optometrist
Bowling Green, Ohio

 

 

"Well it’s not March, but October came in like a lion and is going out like a lamb."

 

Thomas A Marsland, MD
Oncologist
Orange Park, Florida

 

 

"The diagnostic language of ICD-10 is clear and consistent with the diagnostic language of medicine and much more complete than ICD-9."

 

Joseph E. Scherger, MD, MPH
Family medicine
La Quinta, California

 

 

"My business office manager tells me we still have not received any payments under ICD-10. That makes approximately 500 claims posted since Oct. 12 and we are still waiting …"

 

Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO
Optometrist
Germantown, Tennessee

 

 

"… I would say the ICD-10 codes are more descriptive and more accurate than their predecessors, and I think ultimately that will help us as physicians to quickly and accurately describe disease states for our patients."

Melanie Denton, MD
Optometrist
Charlotte, North Carolina

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