ICD-10 Basics | ICD-10 Format

ICD-10 Training Videos Series: ICD-10 Code Format
Episode 2

This video is the second in a series of training videos produced by Capture Billing and NueMD. The previous video offered a broad overview of ICD-10, while this and future videos will look more closely at ICD-10-CM formatting and the increasingly important role anatomy and physiology will play in successful coding.

For more than 40 years, the healthcare industry has followed the specific coding rules of ICD-9. Physicians, medical billers/coders, and even patients are used to these codes.

But with the transition to ICD-10 and the new format, those codes will soon look very, very different.

The second video in our ICD-10 training series details just how much the formatting will change.

Did you know…

• ICD-10 codes may include up to 7 alphanumeric characters.
• The first three characters identify a category.
• The first character is always a letter.
• The second and third characters can be letters or numbers.
• The minimum number of characters for an ICD-10 code is three.

ICD-10 Reimbursement

This drastic change in code formatting means billing errors are poised to skyrocket, possibly leading to delayed and/or lowered revenues.

A recent survey by NueMD found that medical practices are most concerned about how ICD-10 implementation will affect their claims processing. So much so, that 65% noted they are “significantly or highly” concerned about how ICD-10 will alter their reimbursements.

Fortunately, coders at Capture Billing are ICD-10 certified and ready to walk your practice through the transition.

Up next in the series: Why a deeper understanding of anatomy and physiology is necessary for ICD-10 coding success. Don’t miss out on future videos! 

Did this video help you see how different ICD-10 diagnosis code formatting is? How far along are you in your ICD-10 training? Leave me a note in the comments section below.