ICD-9 CD versus ICD10

Wondering about a career in the health care field as a biller or coder? Wondering why the programs you are looking to join are still teaching ICD-9 when ICD10 is soon being implemented? To find the answer to this question read on. ICD-9 will be in effect until September 30, 2013 as ICD10 will be going into effect on October 1, 2013 but it is not that simple.

ICD-9 will still be referenced for up to one year after the ICD10 implementation. From October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014 coders and billers will be referencing both ICD-9 an ICD10 for this duration of time. The reason for this double coverage is the need for working rejected and denied claims. Claims can be submitted for up to one year after the service date and the adjudication of these claims will need the knowledge of ICD-9.

This is the reason for having to learn ICD-9 in any coding/billing program that you are looking into and this process will carry through to the implementation date of ICD10. Within the next year programs will start to offer more ICD10 instruction but ICD-9 will still need to be instructed for your knowledge base in the working environment. So as you are shopping around for a billing and coding program, be aware of what you will need to be successful from a knowledge base point of view.