CMS, which has been mostly silent following the passage of the ICD-10 delay earlier this month, has posted a notice on its website indicating official guidance is forthcoming, though does not offer a timeframe.
The Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, in addition to shielding physicians from a 24 percent reimbursement cut under Medicare's sustainable growth formula and delaying the implementation of the two-midnight rule, also delays the nation's switch to ICD-10 coding by at least a year.
"With enactment of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, CMS is examining the implications of the ICD-10 provision and will provide guidance to providers and stakeholders soon," according to the notice, which also includes the line from the bill that prevents the HHS Secretary from requiring providers to switch to ICD-10 before Oct. 15, 2015.
The delay has been met with frustration from hospital leaders and other stakeholders, as many organizations now have to revise their ICD-10 preparation plans, a costly endeavor. With the added uncertainty of when the new deadline will be, much focus is on CMS, awaiting guidance and a transition timeline.
"We will look for information from CMS as it becomes available and will continue to work diligently with stakeholders to prevent any further delay beyond 2015," said Russ Branzell, CEO of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives.
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