CMS to survey HIPAA 5010, ICD-10 preparation

Anyone hoping The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' announcement that it will conduct a HIPAA 5010, ICD-10 readiness assessment is a sign that the group might once again push back the deadlines would be wise not to hold breath for such an outcome.

In the Federal Register dated March 11, 2011, CMS explains that it provided certain milestones for providers, payers, and vendors en route to HIPAA 5010 and ICD-10 subsequently.

[Related: Will there, or won't there, be fines for HIPAA 5010 and ICD-10 non-compliance? See also: ICD-10 tricky, and just a start.]

HIPAA 5010 Level 1 compliance, for instance, which is a CMS suggestion rather than mandate, was to consist of internal testing and be accomplished by January 1, 2011 – an important step toward both 5010 and ICD-10.

“Entities cannot implement ICD-10 standards until they are in compliance with Version 5010; the interim milestone for ICD-10 is to begin compliance activities (gap analysis, design, development,
internal testing) by January 2011,” according to the Federal Register.
Little evidence has manifested to prove that healthcare entities are actually achieving these milestones. A survey published by HIMSS in late January found that one-third of respondents either have no plan for HIPAA 5010 testing, or won't begin until the fourth quarter of this year.

The Federal Register stated that the CMS “survey of populations charged with implementing Version 5010 and ICD-10,” will be Web-based, self-administered, and conducted over four weeks during the 2011 summer.

Tom Sullivan blogs regularly at ICD10Watch.com.