ICD-10 Codes Go Into Effect on October 1, 2015

 

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal discussed the advent of the new International Classification of Diseases, commonly known as ICD codes. The federal government developed this system of classifying diseases and injuries. The codes serve as the universal language used by doctors and hospitals to describe diseases and injuries. For insurance and governmental purposes, the ICD codes are used rather than text, such as "broken right hip." The current version of the codes is ICD-9, which was adopted in 1979. Under the ICD-9 codes, there were about 18,000 different codes. Under the ICD-10 codes, which go into effect October 1, 2015, there are about 142,000 different codes. Proponents of so many more codes cite the fact that much more detailed medical data will be generated by these codes to help in research and treatment. Critics cite the huge additional cost of learning all these codes and then using them correctly, and the fact that they represent yet another paperwork problem for doctors and hospitals already buried under paperwork. Time will tell.