Cycle 3 Adoption Agreement

Cycle 3 Adoption Agreement: Everything You Need to Know

The Cycle 3 Adoption Agreement is a crucial document that outlines the adoption of the latest cycle of updates to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system. As a healthcare professional or a medical coder, it’s important to understand what this agreement entails and how it affects your work.

What is the ICD System?

The ICD system is a classification system used by healthcare professionals to identify and code medical diagnoses and procedures. It’s used worldwide and is maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO). The system is updated periodically to reflect changes in medical terminology, technology, and treatment options.

What is the Cycle 3 Adoption Agreement?

The Cycle 3 Adoption Agreement is a legal agreement between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the American Medical Association (AMA). The agreement outlines the adoption of the latest cycle of updates to the ICD system, known as ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS.

The agreement was signed on September 5, 2014, and went into effect on October 1, 2015. It requires healthcare providers to use the ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes and ICD-10-PCS procedure codes when submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid.

What Changes Were Made in Cycle 3?

Cycle 3 of the ICD system update included several changes to the diagnosis and procedure codes. Some of the changes include:

– Increased specificity: The new codes provide more detail about the patient’s condition, making it easier for healthcare providers to accurately diagnose and treat the patient.

– Addition of new codes: The ICD-10-CM codes include new diagnoses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and new procedures, such as endovascular repair of aortic aneurysm.

– Revised classification structure: The new codes are organized in a different way than the previous ICD-9 codes, making it important for healthcare providers to familiarize themselves with the new classification structure.

What Does This Mean for Healthcare Providers and Medical Coders?

The Cycle 3 Adoption Agreement has significant implications for healthcare providers and medical coders. They must ensure that they’re using the correct diagnosis and procedure codes when submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Failure to do so may result in denied claims or delayed payments.

Healthcare providers and medical coders should also be aware of the increased specificity of the new codes and the revised classification structure. This may require additional training and education to ensure accuracy in coding.

In conclusion, the Cycle 3 Adoption Agreement is an important document that affects healthcare providers and medical coders. It outlines the adoption of the latest cycle of updates to the ICD system, which includes several changes to the diagnosis and procedure codes. It’s important to stay up-to-date on these changes and ensure that you’re using the correct codes when submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid.