Author Archives: Admin

Denise Buenning from CMS Answers the Industry’s Top Questions about the Version 5010 Upgrade

From a recent ICD-10 Update Upgrading to Version 5010 involves significant planning and preparation. The Version 5010/4010A electronic standards upgrade deadline was January 1, 2012. However, CMS enacted an enforcement discretion period through June 30, 2012 for all HIPAA-covered entities. … Continue reading

Posted in Coding, ICD-10 | Tagged , , ,

How to benefit from computer-assisted coding (CAC)

Guest Blogger: Angela Carmichael, MBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer, HIM Product Development Specialist, J.A. Thomas & Associates I just returned from an interesting Computer-Assisted Coding (CAC) Summit, with about 265 attendees.  ICD-10 , not surprisingly, seems to be … Continue reading

Posted in Clinical Documentation, Coding, ICD-10 | Tagged , , , , , ,

First ACOs Under the Medicare Shared Savings Program Announced

CMS announced today the selection of the first 27 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to participate in the Medicare Shared Saving Program (Shared Savings Program). Those ACOs that succeed in providing high quality care – as measured by performance on 33 … Continue reading

Posted in Accountable Care Organizations | Tagged , , , ,

ICD-10 Compliance Delayed to 2014

In a new press release from HHS, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a proposed rule that would delay the compliance date for ICD-10 from October 1, 2013 to October 1, 2014 Continue reading

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With VBP, Clinical Documentation Role Even More Important

When one takes into the account the needs of Value Based Purchasing (VBP), essential CDS skills are more important than ever. With VBP, many healthcare leaders are rethinking their needs when trying to fill a newly created or vacant clinical … Continue reading

Posted in Health Reform, Value Based Purchasing | Tagged , , , ,

Ready to Tackle the Third-largest Chapter in ICD-10-CM?

Our very own Angela Carmichael, MBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, wrote an insightful article on ICD-10 Monitor that we’d like to share with you.  She looks at the third-largest chapter in ICD-10-CM: Chapter 20, “External Causes of Morbidity,” which also happens … Continue reading

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Delay on ICD-10 Compliance Date

Your thoughts on the announcement below?  Surprised, expected, indifferent? HHS Announces Intent to Delay ICD-10 Compliance Date In a new press release from HHS, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that HHS will initiate a process to postpone the compliance date by … Continue reading

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ACOs, a Bonafide Answer?

A January 2012 Wall Street Journal article asked a diverse group of health-care policy experts to discuss, in an exchange of emails, whether ACOs are an answer to what ails the health-care system.  Their panelists were: Donald M. Berwick, who stepped … Continue reading

Posted in Accountable Care Organizations | Tagged , , ,

Making ICD-10 Less Daunting

As there becomes a heightened awareness and acceptance of our inevitable transition to ICD-10, many of you may be wondering how to approach the task of preparing your key stakeholders, coders, clinical documentation specialists and providers, for the change. Certainly … Continue reading

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Webinars on Bundled Payment

ADLS Webinars on Bundled Payment As part of the ADLS series, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting a number of webinars particular to the topic of bundled payment. Developed independently by the American Institutes for Research, the ADLS … Continue reading

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