ICD-9 to ICD-10
Read more about the transition:
- Why is ICD-9 being replaced by ICD-10?
- What are the primary changes from ICD-9 to ICD-10?
- Explore ICD-10 resources.
For more information, contact:
Les Demme, Program Director
Email Leslie.Demme@chpw.org
Phone 206-515-7997
Why is ICD-9 being replaced by ICD-10?
- ICD-9 lacks the detail and specifics for proper diagnostics.
- Advancing medicine and medical technology require more structural flexibility and code capacity.
- Effective coding needs to reflect current knowledge of disease processes, medical terminology, and technologies.
- ICD-9 coding cannot accommodate the need to compare costs and outcomes.
- Coding needs to support interoperable data exchanged in the United States.
What are the primary changes from ICD-9 to ICD-10?
(Source: Milliman ICD-10 Critical Success Factors Webinar)
Changes in diagnoses, ICD-9 to ICD-10:
- From 13,000 codes to 68,000 codes
- From 3-5 characters to 3-7 characters
- From 1 alphanumeric & 2-5 numeric digits to 1 alphanumeric, 2-3 numeric, & 4-7 alphanumeric
Changes in procedures, ICD-9 to ICD-10:
- From 3,000 codes to 87,000 codes
- From 3-4 characters to 7 characters
- From numeric characters only to alphanumeric characters
- From decimal after the first two characters to no decimal
Changes in both diagnoses and procedures, ICD-9 to ICD-10:
- From limited space for new codes to flexibility for new codes
- From a lack of detail and precision to great specificity
- From difficult-to-analyze codes to more accurate and data-rich coding
- From limited DRG assignment to better recognition of new technologies