What is ICD?
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. This classification, which is developed by the World Health Organization, consists of a set of diagnosis codes, which describe what is wrong with a given patient, and a set of procedure codes, which describe the various tests and treatments that we use to understand and treat their condition.
What is ICD used for?
The diagnosis and procedure codes that are part of ICD are used for billing purposes, both to help providers check whether certain procedures were needed given a patient’s ailment (medical necessity checking), and to determine how much a provider should be paid for treating a given patient.
What is ICD-10?
ICD-10 is the 10th iteration of the International Classification of Diseases.
Why does the International Classification of Diseases need to be updated?
With advances in science, the discovery of new diseases, the development of new tests and treatments, and changing needs for data to inform outcomes research, each iteration of the ICD codes becomes obsolete over time. ICD-9 has been in place for over 30 years.