As of October 1st, your outpatient claims will be expected to incorporate the new 2018 ICD0-10-CM code, which include 360 new, 142 deleted, and 226 revised codes going live. 

Just like last year’s changes, many of the new codes provide more specificity to your diagnoses. This means you’ll need to work with your clinicians to ensure they are providing you with more detailed information to ensure you can the most accurate diagnosis code possible – if they want to be paid.

HHS and government agencies never really show the effect on you gearing up for these mandated code updates: desktops covered with new code manuals, doctors asking questions at a scheduling desk, and various provider employees wanting to tear their hair out. However, CMS does require that you use the MOST specific diagnosis possible – no exceptions. That’s the deal. New versatility in the code set means you’ll have to keep up.