Make the most of your relationship with payers during ICD-10 delay
Now that the healthcare industry has another year to work on the ICD-10 transition, there will be a temptation to put a lot of steps on hold. But, you shouldn't do that. Instead, use this time to build better relationships with your healthcare payers while not so many medical practices are thinking about their delayed ICD-10 transitions. Then when everyone else is competing for the payers' time, you will have already learned important things such as:
• Testing results
• How reimbursements may change
• Who to call when claims are denied, delayed or rejected
How to start
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has advice on sharing ICD-10 transition information with healthcare payers:
• Give contact info for the medical practice.
• Establish regular check-ins or meetings.
CMS also offers a list of questions to break the ice with healthcare payers:
1. Are you prepared to meet the ICD-10 deadline of October 1, 2014?
2. Where is your organization in the transition process?
3. Will you conduct external testing?
4. What will we need to test with you?
5. When will you be ready to accept test transactions from my practice?
6. Will you be dual processing, and if so, when will you start?
7. What will happen if something goes wrong?
8. Who will be my primary contact at your organization for the ICD-10 transition?
9. Can we set up regular check-in meetings to keep our progress on track?
10. Do you anticipate any changes in policies or delays in payments to result from the switch to ICD-10?
Strengthening relationships with healthcare payers is a strategy that will help medical practices now. It works as an ICD-9 strategy too.
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