With many in the U.S. health care industry scrambling to upgrade to Version 5010 standards for electronic health transactions and fearing similar upcoming challenges when transitioning to ICD-10, the federal government has announced it is delaying the compliance deadlines for both. Version 5010, which had an original compliance date of Jan. 1, 2012 and was previously delayed until March 30, 2012, has been delayed a second time, with a current compliance date of June 30; the new ICD-10 compliance date, originally Oct. 1, 2013, has not yet been determined.
Regarding ICD-10, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced on Feb. 16 that HHS would, according to an HHS press release, "initiate a process to postpone the date by which certain health care entities have to comply with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis and procedure codes (ICD-10)." In making the announcement, Secretary Sebelius commented:
"ICD-10 codes are important to many positive improvements in our health care system. We have heard from many in the provider community who have concerns about the administrative burdens they face in the years ahead. We are committing to work with the provider community to reexamine the pace at which HHS and the nation implement these important improvements to our health care system."
Meanwhile, in announcing a second enforcement deadline delay for implementation of Version 5010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Office of E-Health Standards and Services made a similar announcement, stating the following: [We] will not initiate enforcement action for an additional three (3) months, through June 30, 2012, against any covered entity that is required to comply with the updated transactions standards adopted under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA): ASC X12 Version 5010 and NCPDP Versions D.0 and 3.0."
For additional information regarding ICD-10 and Version 5010, read Samuel Collins' recent article, "New 5010 Standards, Electronic Health Records and the ICD-10," published in the Oct. 21, 2011 issue of DC.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
