MSDC Urges Congress to Go Slow on ICD-10

In a letter to key members of the Senate and House, the Medical Society joined with the AMA and other state and national physician groups in calling for a delay in the transition from ICD-9 to the ICD-10 coding system to ensure that the transition is less burdensome on practicing physicians, hospitals, and the health insurance industry. Specifically, the letter requested that provisions requiring implementation of the updated coding system by a date certain (or at least prior to 2012), not be included in a conference report promoting health information technology.

The letter pointed out that, "in addition to the costs and challenges associated with implementing new clinical information technology systems, physician offices could face the equally costly prospect of upgrading or replacing practice management systems for billing and coding and the necessity of retraining their billing and coding staff." The letter was co-signed by nearly 80 organizations.