"CMS is ready for ICD-10," said outgoing Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner this week, pointing to 660 providers and billing companies that submitted some 15,000 test claims.
[See also: ICD-10: 'We need it; we're ready']
"Overall, participants in the Jan. 26 to Feb. 3 testing were able to successfully submit ICD-10 claims and have them processed through our billing systems," according to a CMS press statement. "To the extent that some claims were rejected, most didn’t meet the mark because of errors unrelated to ICD-9 or ICD-10."
This was the first round of three end-to-end tests that will take place before the Oct. 1, 2015, ICD-10 compliance date.
[See also: Practices behind on ICD-10, but still confident they'll reach finish line]
Hundreds of volunteer Medicare fee-for-service providers, clearinghouses and billing agencies participated in the testing week. Of 14,929 test claims received, 12,149 were accepted – a success rate of 81 percent, CMS points out.
Of those claims that were rejected, 3 percent were because of invalid submission of ICD-9 diagnosis or procedure code; 3 percent were because of invalid submission of ICD-10 diagnosis or procedure code.
Meanwhile, 13 percent were due to non-ICD-10 related errors, according to CMS – mostly related to issues setting up the test claims such as incorrect claim number or submitter ID, dates of service outside the range valid for testing or invalid place of service.
"Thanks to our many partners – spanning providers, health plans, coders, clearinghouses, professional associations and vendor groups – the health care community at large will be ready for ICD-10 on Oct. 1," wrote Tavenner in a blog post.
She added, however, that "as the ICD-10 deadline draws near, I especially encourage medical practices and hospitals that bill Medicare to take advantage of testing opportunities."
A recent poll of physician practices found that just 21 percent say they're currently on track with their preparations for the looming compliance date.
