(Washington, D.C., August 24, 2012) The Center for Medicare Services has announced that the compliance date for the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, including the Official ICD–10–PCS Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, has been extended from October 1, 2013 to October 1, 2014. This is the date that the industry must have the ICD-10 data code sets in compliance with the rule.

An important step in preparing for the transition to ICD-10 is to talk with your software vendor to be sure they are ready to provide the support you need.  Contact your vendor to discuss their ICD-10 implementation plans and timelines for system upgrades, testing, staff training, and on-going support. This will allow you to plan your implementation activities, budget, and timeline accordingly.

Rest assured that Axxess is ready. Our web based platform eliminates many of the hassles and device related issues that ICD-10 will require.

Our work to effect compliance with the new ICD-10 datasets is to be done well ahead of the CMS deadline. We will support your organization.

So rest assured, if you are an Axxess Agencycore software client, you will be ready for ICD-10.

The choice of your software vendor is critical to the success of your organization and ICD-10 compliance. To help you get the conversation started, below are key questions to consider asking an existing vendor or a new vendor about their ICD-10 plans.

Existing Vendors

• Will a mapping or crosswalk strategy be used between ICD-9 and ICD-10 code sets?
• What is your timeline for system modifications and what do those modifications include?
• Will you continue to support applications or are you discontinuing some products in the wake of the ICD-10 transition?
• Are there any new hardware requirements associated with ICD-10- related software changes?
• Will training be provided for any new ICD-10-related functionality, and is there a charge?
• Is there a phased approach for implementing ICD-10?
• How does your product simplify my organization’s transition to ICD- 10?
• How does the functionality offered by your system compare with my current system?
• Does your implementation require a complete system conversion?
• Based on what I already have in place, how much will it cost to convert to your system?
• What are the costs of maintenance for your product?
• Who in this area is using your current system?
• Talking to vendors’ existing clientele in your area about their experience with that vendor may help you identify if the vendor’s services are a good fit for your organization.
• What kind of product quality guarantees do you offer, and are these guarantees included in the contract?
• What is your timeframe for implementation?

New Vendors

Once you check out your present vendor, it may be a good time to make the move to the most innovative, user friendly and cost effective platform available, Agencycore by Axxess.

The CMS website also has official resources to help you prepare for ICD-10. CMS will continue to add new tools and information to the site throughout the course of the transition. Visit www.cms.gov/ICD10.