Partial Code Freeze for ICD-9-CM and ICD-10

The ICD-10 Coordination and Maintenance Committee implemented a partial freeze of the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 (ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS) codes prior to the implementation of ICD-10 which would end one year after the implementation of ICD-10.  On April 1, 2014, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA) was enacted, which said that the Secretary may not adopt ICD-10 prior to October 1, 2015.

The partial freeze will be implemented as follows:

• The last regular, annual updates to both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 code sets were made on October 1, 2011.

• On October 1, 2012, October 1, 2013, and October 1, 2014 there will be only limited code updates to both the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 code sets to capture new technologies and diseases.

• On October 1, 2015, there will be only limited code updates to ICD-10 code sets to capture new technologies and diagnoses. There will be no updates to ICD-9-CM, as it will no longer be used for reporting.

• On October 1, 2016 (one year after implementation of ICD-10), regular updates to ICD-10 will begin.