by Deborah Grider, CPC, COC, CPC-I, CPC-P, CEMC, CPMA, CCS-P, CDIP Certified AHIMA Clinical Documentation Improvement Practitioner AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer
The past few years we have focused closely on getting ready for ICD-10. In most cases, the transition to ICD-10 was successful. We had a few bumps in the road, but overall, things went well. What’s next? Now we need to shift the focus to improve coding and clinical documentation in order to protect revenue. Most payers, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have given the industry a grace period in which to code to adequate specificity in ICD-10, as long as we are coding in the correct category and laterality is reported. However, this grace period will not last forever.