NCAQ Transitions Measures to ICD-10, Seeks Comment

The National Committee for Quality Assurance, an accreditation firm, is soliciting public comments on proposed changes to HEDIS performance measures on providers and payers as the nation transitions to the ICD-10 codes.

The ICD-10 codes, effective in October 2014, will be part of the HEDIS 2015 measures, which NCQA will release in July 2014. “To accommodate this change, NCQA created a plan to identify a valid and appropriate set of ICD-10 codes for each HEDIS measure in time for inclusion in the HEDIS 2015 publications,” the organization explains. “This identification has been in progress for three years and is now completed. NCQA seeks public comment on all of the final recommendations for converting ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes in HEDIS measures.”

Because of the large number of codes being reviewed, NCAQ is offering a long comment period with a due date of Dec. 16, 2013. Details on the changes and comment procedures are available here.

NCQA also has released the 2014 edition of technical specifications for HEDIS measures, including a new measure on non-recommended cervical cancer screening in adolescent females. Changes also were made in existing measures covering breast cancer screening, cervical cancer screening for adult females, care for older adults, potential drug-disease interaction in the elderly and relative resource use. More information is at ncqa.org/publications.

http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/ncqa-hedis-coding-icd-10-performance-measures-46357-1.html