By

 

There will be three different testing weeks leading up to the implementation date for ICD-10, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced.

CMS lists the testing weeks as follows:

  • First testing week: Nov. 17-21, 2014
  • Second testing week: March 2-6, 2015
  • Third testing week: June 1-5, 2015

The testing is designed to validate providers’ ability to meet “technical compliance and performance processing standards” during implementation, according to CMS. The testing weeks will help to generate awareness and interest for implementation, as well as instill confidence in the provider community.

Testing will be conducted virtually and posted on CMS’ website, the Common Electronic Data Interchange website and each Medicare Administrative Contractors’ website.

After numerous delays, the date of Oct. 1, 2015, for ICD-10 implementation was finalized earlier this month.

With a little more than a year to go before that date hits, providers and organizations are working to make sure everything is ready to go. CMS has released information on common ICD-10 myths, and advice has been doled out on everything from how to cut time spent on queries to ways imaging providers can prepare for the compliance date.

However, despite the date being finalized skeptics are still being cautious while ramping efforts back up to complete the transition.