Question:
Should we assume that the ICD-10 diagnosis codes listed in our LCDs will be the same as they were under ICD-9?
Answer:
No, do not assume this. Labs should review their Medicare administrative contractors’ (MACs) new local coverage determinations (LCDs) to ensure that they include the full range of ICD-10 codes that map to the current LCDs’ ICD-9 codes. According to the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA), some of them don’t; it appears that some MACs have altered their coverage policies for certain laboratory services.