AMA to Explore Skipping ICD-10, Moving Right to ICD-11

April 9, 2013

At its annual policy-making meeting, the Chicago-based American Medical Association announced it was going to evaluate IDC-11 as a possible alternative to replace ICD-9. According to the AMA, it will conduct more research on this issue and will report back to the House of Delegates in 2013.

At its annual policy-making meeting, the Chicago-based American Medical Association announced it was going to evaluate IDC-11 as a possible alternative to replace ICD-9, rather than ICD-10. According to the AMA, it will conduct more research on this issue and will report back to the House of Delegates in 2013.

"ICD-10 coding will create unnecessary and significant financial and administrative burdens for physicians," AMA President-elect Ardis Dee Hoven, M.D., said in a statement. "It is critical to evaluate alternatives to ICD-9 that will make for a less cumbersome transition for physicians and allow physicians to focus on their primary priority - patient care. AMA voted today to consider ICD-11 as a possible alternative. The policy also asks the AMA and other stakeholders, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to examine other options."

The AMA has been notable in their dissension over the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS) decision to move forward with the ICD-10 transition. Even after the CMS delayed the compliance date by a year, AMA called for a longer delay.