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While the extension of the ICD-10 compliance deadline to October 1, 2014 seems almost certain following an April 9, 2012 rule proposed by HHS, healthcare organizations must still move forward with the transition that CMS says will help improve patient care and better facilitate the exchange of healthcare data.

In A Best Practice Roadmap to ICD-10 Readiness, Dennis Winkler, ICD-10 technical program director for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), shares the health plan's mapping strategy, tips for assembling a transition team and a host of other organizational ICD-10 readiness tactics.

This 24-page report documents the process BCBSM has established to resolve discrepancies between ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, a milestone that has allowed the payor to complete its version of the General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs) — referred to as the Blue GEM Encyclopedia.

This report provides details on the following:

• Assembling an ICD-10 transition team;
• BCBSM's code mapping strategy;
• Instructions for obtaining a copy of the Blue GEM Encyclopedia;
• BCBSM's six dimensions of neutrality and how the payor's transition plan incorporates these aspects into ICD-10 readiness;
• Working with external vendors and constituents;
• Challenges and realities of ICD-10 systems testing and training; and
• Critical steps in 2012 necessary to meet the current compliance deadline.

In A Best Practice Roadmap to ICD-10 Readiness, Winkler also advises on how best to prepare health plan members for the transition.

Even though a possible one- to two-year delay from CMS may tempt payors and providers to draw out the transition process, the tactics and strategies proposed by BCBSM in A Best Practice Roadmap to ICD-10 Readiness will help to keep ICD-10 transition timelines and budgets on track.

Table of Contents

• Mapping the Way to ICD-10 Transition
  • Understanding ICD-10s
  • Mapping ICD-10 Codes
  • Resolving Discrepancies
  • The Blue GEM Encyclopedia
  • Neutrality in 2012
  • BCBS Michigan's 6 Dimensions of Neutrality
  • When Neutrality Definitions Differ
  • Realities of Transitioning to ICD-10
  • Testing, Testing and More Testing
  • ICD-10 Goals for 2012
• Q&A: Ask the Experts
  • Publishing the BCBS-Michigan Blue GEM
  • Assembling the ICD-10 Transition Team
  • ICD-10 Implementation Timeline
  • Impact of ICD-10 on Health Plan Members
  • Paying Inpatient Stays in Fall 2012
  • ICD-10s Impact on Healthcare Quality
  • Milestones on ICD-10 Transition Timeline
  • Challenges of ICD-10 Testing
• Glossary
• For More Information
• About the Speaker