All indicators are there will NOT be further delays in implementation of ICD-10 coding set to take effect on Oct. 1, 2015. Both state and local agencies are working to educate medical practices about the change to be ready on Oct. 1.
NCTracks, the state’s Medicaid claims system, is offering regional seminars throughout the state in June to educate new billing staff and providers, and serve as a refresher for current and experienced staff. Regional seminars allow for greater participation by those who cannot travel to attend Instructor-Led Training sessions in Raleigh. And they offer attendees an opportunity to meet and become familiar with their Regional Provider Relations Representatives. It is a learning opportunity and a chance to network.
The seminars will give providers a high level overview of NCTracks, Claim Submission, Prior Approval, Provider Enrollment, Credentialing, Re-Verification, Provider Record Maintenance, Recipient Eligibility, Managed Care Referrals basics, and current system updates. Each of the seminars runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register for the seminar most convenient for you.
- Greenville – June 12, 2015 – NC Cooperative Extension- Pitt County Agricultural Extension Auditorium
- Winston Salem- June 16, 2015 – NC Cooperative Extension- Forsyth County Center
- Raleigh – June 19, 2015 – CSC Facility, 2610 Wycliff Road
Registration is for the entire seminar, but participants can review the agenda and choose to attend all or as many topics as they wish. Printed materials will not be available, but providers can download and/or print their own Participant User Guides (PUGs) from the ILT Guides folder in SkillPort prior to the seminar.
Note that the seminar runs through lunchtime, so providers may want to bring their own lunch, so they can take full advantage of all of the seminar topics. (Lunch is not provided.)
Provider Help Centers will be offered at each location concurrent with the Seminars. NCTracks staff from Claims, Provider Enrollment, and Provider Relations will be available to assist registered NC providers with questions or concerns regarding NCTracks. (Prior Approval, EDI, and Finance staff will be available by phone, if there are questions in those areas.) Please bring specific examples of issues. Registration is required, separate from the seminar, for either the morning or afternoon Provider Help Center sessions and limited to 21 providers per seminar. After all registered Help Center participants have been assisted, and if time permits, the NCTracks staff will see other seminar participants on a first come, first served basis.
Providers can register for the NCTracks Regional Seminars and the Provider Help Centers in SkillPort, the NCTracks Learning Management System. Logon to the secure NCTracks Provider Portal and click Provider Training to access SkillPort. Open the folder labeled Provider Computer-Based Training (CBT) and Instructor Led Training (ILT). The sessions for the Seminar and the Provider Help Center can be found in the sub-folder labeled ILTs: On-site. Refer to the Provider Training page of the public Provider Portal for specific instructions on how to use SkillPort. The Provider Training page also includes a quick reference regarding Java, which is required for the use of SkillPort.
For resources and information on preparing for ICD-10 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) visit their ICD-10 website and Sign up for CMS ICD-10 Industry Email Updates.
Finally, NCTracks staff want to clarify the difference between a CPT code and an ICD-9 soon to be ICD-10 code and what is changing this fall.
An ICD-9-CM code (which will become an ICD-10-CM code this year on October 1) is used to describe a symptom, condition, or disease that is being treated, also known as the diagnosis code.
A CPT code is used to describe the evaluation and management (E/M) code (meaning the physician time, intensity of service, and complexity of the examination performed on a patient at each visit, when applicable.) It can also be used to describe any treatment or diagnostic services (lab tests, radiology tests, immunizations, and so forth) provided to the patient, also known as the procedure code.