NAPPP launches Petition to Endorse ICD-10-CM for Diagnosis of Mental Disorders
June 27, 2012
National Alliance of Professional Psychology Providers (NAPPP) launches Petition to Endorse ICD-10-CM for Diagnosis of Mental Disorders
Post #188 Shortlink: http://wp.me/pKrrB-2jf
The National Alliance of Professional Psychology Providers (NAPPP) has launched a petition for psychologists to endorse the forthcoming ICD-10-CM for Diagnosis of Mental Disorders.
The NAPPP mission is “to promote and advocate for the clinical practice of psychology. NAPPP welcomes licensed, doctoral level psychologists who provide healthcare related services. Retired psychologists, and students also are eligible for membership.”
Professionals can sign the Petition here:
Petition to Endorse ICD-10-CM for Diagnosis of Mental Disorders
The purpose of this petition is to establish a national policy for psychological practitioners to use the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) Version 10 presents worldwide standards for the diagnosis and treatment of mental and physical disorders as adopted by WHO. The advantages for psychology of using ICD-10 include ensuring that psychologists and all other doctoral healthcare providers will use the same diagnostic system. Consistent use of ICD-10 will simplify both establishment of consistent diagnosis and reimbursement for services. Workload counting of practitioners will also be better standardized for organization use.
Use of ICD-10 will also eliminate the political controversies that encumber frequent revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). Finally, psychologists, using the ICD-10-CM to diagnose and treat mental conditions, will advance collaboration and integration of psychological and medical practices. Use of the same ICD-10 system by all health professions could also facilitate a comprehensive understanding of patients and their needs. Failure to use ICD-10-CM by psychologists would marginalize their services in the health care reform movement. All the advantages listed above will aid in implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Cooperative integration of the various health care professions is a prime goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The US Department of Health and Human Services adopted a Rule April 17, 2012 that postponed compliance with ICD-10 codes until October 1, 2014.* This prime goal had originally been set for January 1, 2012. This delay will allow the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to amend its 5010-CM coding system to comply with the ICD-10 Edition of diagnostic and procedure codes. This delay allows psychological practitioners to integrate their coding for reimbursement during the transitions of health care reform. This delay also provides psychology an opportunity to point out deficiencies in the present reimbursement system and to recommend corrective modifications to CMS as it amends its 5010-CM diagnostic and procedure coding system.
To read a comprensive statement on the rationale for the advantages to psychologists to support this petition, go HERE (http://www.nappp.org/pdf/ICD.pdf )
Petitioners strongly urge American Psychological Association Practice Organization and the APA Practice Directorate to expend all possible efforts to implement use of ICD-10 by all practicing psychologists. This action is petitioned and asked to receive priority attention because the clear advantages listed above. Expediting this request needs to be done to achieve these advantages and to circumvent unacceptable developments in the proposed edition of DSM-V**.
*Ed: This is a proposed postponement. No final rule to postpone compliance to October 1, 2014 has yet been issued by CMS.
**Ed: The forthcoming revision of the DSM will be known as “DSM-5” not “DSM-V.”
DSM; DSM-IV; DSM-IV-TR; DSM-IV-PC; DSM-V; DSM V; DSM-5; DSM 5 are registered trademarks of the American Psychiatric Association.
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