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What's The Difference Between ICD-9CM And ICD-10-CM?

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Before discussing the distinction between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM, let’s first break down the structure of the two terms:
  • “ICD” stands for “International Classification of Diseases.” The International Classification of Diseases, as the name suggests, is a published system of disease coding for all known diseases and factors proven to result in fatalities.
  • The number following “ICD” refers to the revision; revising is a constant process for ICD.
  • “CM” stands for “Clinical Modification,” which means that diagnosis and treatment codes have been added to the coded afflictions/circumstances of death. ICD codes only cover causes of death, whereas ICD-CM also includes treatments.
So, what is the difference between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM?
The difference is the revision: ICD-9-CM is the ninth revision of the International Classification of Diseases, whereas ICD-10-CM is the tenth revision. When enough developments occurred to medical coding, the World Health Organization decided to draft a next revision. First made available in 1993 and redone in 2007, the tenth revision (ICD-10-CM) is set to officially replace ICD-9-CM in October 2013.


See this post for info on using older medical coding books.

In the meantime, ICD-9-CM remains more popular in the United States because many medical centers and offices haven’t yet converted. Overseas, however, ICD-10-CM has been used for years because of its elevated specificity; it features nearly five times the number of codes in the previous revision because codes now describe diagnoses and treatments.

We’re feeling the crunch to adapt to ICD-10 because it will help U.S. medicine compare records and interact professionally with overseas medical centers. Otherwise, it’s somewhat like comparing notes in yards to another person’s notes in meters.

While implementing ICD-10-CM signifies a great change for American medical coding and will bring the United States up to speed with the rest of the medical world, the eleventh revision is expected for first publication in 2015. Some critics of ICD-10-CM suggest skipping it entirely and waiting for the release of ICD-11, the implementation date is nowhere near close on the horizon for the medical community. Instead, the U.S. medical community is intent on completing the ICD-10 transition by October 2013.

See this page for direct links to current medical coding books.

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