Dates of Service: Is It ICD-9 or ICD-10?

With the October 1, 2014, ICD-10 deadline approaching, you may be wondering how you will code a claim that you are submitting in October 2014 for a service that your practice provided in September 2014. Even if you submit your claim on or after the ICD-10 deadline, if the date of service was before the October 1, 2014, deadline, you will use ICD-9 to code the diagnosis. For dates of service on or after the October 1, 2014, deadline, you will use ICD-10. You may not be able to use ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes on the same claim based on your payers’ instructions. This may mean splitting services that would typically be captured on one claim into two claims: one claim with ICD-9 diagnosis codes for services provided before October 1, 2014, and another claim with ICD-10 diagnosis codes for services provided on or after October 1, 2014. Some trading partners may request that ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes be submitted on the same claim when dates of service span the compliance date. Trading partner agreements will determine the need for split claims.