HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Announced Today the Delay of ICD-10 until October 1, 2014
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced in a new press release a proposed rule that would delay the compliance date for ICD-10 from October 1, 2013, to October 1, 2014:
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced a proposed rule that would establish a unique health plan identifier (HPID). The change would save the health care industry up to $4.6 billion over ten years by enabling greater automation of electronic health care transactions, in turn helping physicians spend less time interacting with health plans and more time with patients.
The proposed rule was developed by the Office of E-Health Standards and Services (OESS), as part of its ongoing role, delegated by HHS, to adopt standards for electronic health care transactions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). OESS is part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The proposed rule would implement several administrative simplification provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
The proposed rule also would delay by one year, until Oct. 1, 2014, the date by which covered entities must comply with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis and procedure codes (ICD-10). Covered entities are defined in HIPAA as (1) health plans, (2) health care clearinghouses, and (3) health care providers who electronically transmit any health information in connection with a transaction for which HHS has adopted a standard.
Some provider groups have expressed serious concerns about their ability to meet the October 1, 2013 compliance date. CMS and HHS believe the change in the compliance date for ICD-10, as proposed in this rule, would give providers and other covered entities more time to prepare and fully test their systems to ensure a smooth and coordinated transition among all industry segments.