Rachael - a number can never be descriptive. Only words can be. A number can never be a noun or pronoun or adjective or verb or adverb. And you need all of those types of words, plus more, to accurately and sufficiently describe what is wrong with someone. Only after you have
first found the right words to use can you let a number be a symbol that stands for all of those words.
So - focus on the words that your clients use when they diagnose their patients, not the numbers. After all - you are not really transitioning ICD-9 numbers into ICD-10 numbers. You are actually transitioning ICD-9
words into ICD-10
words. If you can really get ahold of that concept, it should help you immensely in the transition. And it will point out a big pitfall in those instances where the provider has chosen incorrect words to attach to a particular code.
Type words into the search bar at the top of the ICD-9 link below.
Type the same words into the search bar at the top of the ICD-10 link below.
Look at the results. ICD-9 will offer to translate to ICD-10; ICD-10 offers to translate to ICD-9. Play with it until you figure out the relationship between the two, and things will start to become more clear.
http://www.icd9data.com/2014/Volume1/default.htmhttp://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/CodesType an ICD-9 code from the above exercise into this link. See if it shows you the same or similar results that you obtained in the above exercise.
http://www.icd10data.com/ConvertNote that many ICD-9 codes will translate directly to an ICD-10 code, using the link directly above. Try this one
537.82 (direct). Now try this one
782.0 (not direct). With the second code, it is much more imortant to know what the doctor is actually trying to say with the 782.0 code. If he has attached not-useful words to the ICD-9 code, no one will be able to accurately translate the ICD-9 code to the proper ICD-10.
That is why I say to focus on the words more than on the code. The proper words will get you to the proper ICD-10 code. If you have good words, but don't know the code, search on words in the search bar at the ICD-10 link (second link) I gave you above. Now try one of your codes, and see if you recognize the results.
I agree that billers are not coders. But I think billers will have a better handle on things after the transition if they play with the three links I've given above.
Caveat: There may be some last-minute changes by CMS to the ICD-10 code wordings, but I don't expect major changes. Even if there are, it is the relationships between words and codes that playing with these links will give you - regardless of what the end wording turns out to be. If you know how to use these search tools, using both words and numbers, you can always find what you want even if they change the wording attached to the codes.
As an additional aid, note that the first link below is one level up from
782.0 in the ICD-10 Table. The second link is two levels up. Both links are included at the top of the page for whatever ICD-10 code you are looking at. Find them, and learn how to use them. They are good for a quick check to see if you are in the right place within the ICD-10 hierarchy.
http://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/R00-R99/R20-R23/R20-http://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/R00-R99/R20-R23Here is the page for the first one of the six choices that 782.0 translates to. See the top of the page for the two links given directly above.
http://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/R00-R99/R20-R23/R20-/R20.0