CMS: Another Successful Round of ICD-10 Testing

For the second time this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced successful ICD-10 end-to-end testing acceptance rates from participating healthcare providers, clearinghouses, and billing agencies.

On June 2, the agency revealed that of the 23,138 test claims received between April 27 and May 1, 20,306 were accepted—an acceptance rate of 88 percent. During the first ICD-10 end-to-end testing week, which took place from January 26 until February 3, 81 percent of claims were accepted. About 875 participants took part in the second round of testing, including returning testers from the first round in January. 

Overall, this round of testing saw an increase in test claims submitted and a decrease in the percentage of errors related to both ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes. CMS said that 2 percent of test claims were rejected due to invalid submission of ICD-10 diagnosis or procedure code, and that less than 1 percent were rejected due to invalid submission of ICD-9 code.

Additional rejections were from non-ICD-10 related errors, including incorrect national provider identifiers (NPI), health insurance claim numbers, or submitter IDs; dates of service outside the range valid for testing; invalid HCPCS codes; and invalid place of service. These types of errors also occurred in the January end-to-end testing week, CMS said.

After CMS announced the first round of testing results, nearly 100 physician groups representing state and specialty medical societies wrote a letter to the agency expressing their remaining ICD-10 concerns as well as voicing displeasure with the first round of results, despite CMS’ praise.