DRIP Line ICD-10-CM Did you know... ICD-10-CM/PCS consists of two parts

by  Christine Woolstenhulme, QMC QCC CMCS CPC CMRS
Oct 8th, 2015 - Reviewed/Updated Aug 9th

ICD-10-CM – The diagnosis classification system developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in all United States health care treatment settings. Diagnosis coding under this system uses 3–7 alpha and numeric digits and full code titles, but the format is very much the same as ICD-9-CM; and

ICD-10-PCS – The procedure classification system developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for use in the U.S. for inpatient hospital settings only. The new procedure coding system uses 7 alpha or numeric digits while the ICD-9-CM coding system uses 3 or 4 numeric digits.

The new classification system provides significant improvements through greater detailed information and the ability to expand to capture additional advancements in clinical medicine. ICD-10-CM/PCS improvements include:

™

Much greater specificity and clinical information, which results in:

• Improved ability to measure health care services
• Increased sensitivity when refining grouping and reimbursement methodologies
• Enhanced ability to conduct public health surveillance
• Decreased need to include supporting documentation with claims
• Updated medical terminology and classification of diseases
• Codes that allow comparison of mortality and morbidity data

Better data for:

• Measuring care furnished to patients
• Designing payment systems
• Processing claims
• Making clinical decisions
• Tracking public health
• Identifying fraud and abuse
• Conducting research