Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen G. Sebelius has announced a postponement for the implementation of ICD-10. The delay comes as the result of feedback from the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and the provider community. Each expressed concerns about the challenges and administrative burdens implementation will place on providers.
Marilyn Tavenner, acting CMS administrator, states that CMS will be re-examining the pace of ICD-10 implementation. The revised deadline date should be announced soon.
Although the deadline is postponed, it's important to prepare for this transition. ACA has a Web page dedicated to ICD-10. Please check this page frequently for important updates.
Source: American Chiropractic Association
Recent laws in New Jersey and California represent a disturbing trend that will negatively impact a practice’s ability to collect monies from patients, as well as expose them to significant penalties if the practice does not follow the mandatory guidelines to a T. Please be aware that a similar law may be coming to your state. The time to act is before the law is passed.
Each year, ICD-10-CM is updated on Oct. 1. For 2026, there are 74,179 total codes, with 487 additions, 28 deletions and 38 revisions. Code changes are based on date of service, not the claim submission date. Services performed on/after Oct. 1 must use the new codes. While no changes affect the common spinal or extraspinal codes most frequently used by DCs, several updates may still affect your claims – particularly for comorbidities, referred pain, or trauma cases.
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Southern California University of Health Sciences has entered into an agreement with Pacific College of Health and Science whereby PCHS’ San Diego and Chicago campuses – including students, faculty, staff, and academic programs – will join SCU effective May 2026, pending regulatory approval. Founded in 1986 as Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, PCHS is not only the largest acupuncture / herbal medicine school in the U.S., but also offers integrative health curriculum in holistic nursing and massage therapy.
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