NCTracks Readiness for ICD-10

Will NCTracks be Ready for ICD-10? Yes

The best way to make sure NCTracks will be ready for ICD-10 codes on October 1 is to test it vigorously. Testing the system allows us to find and correct problems before go-live.

NCTracks has completed 10 months of internal testing activities and recently started external testing with providers. We selected providers and trading partners representing a diversity of practices, specialties and facilities. This testing will continue through August.

Testing Highlights:

System integration testing started in June 2014. By November 2014, improvements had been made so that 100 percent of claims passed.
In December 2014, DHHS staff began user acceptance testing with CSC, the fiscal agent that manages NCTracks. This testing ran through mid-April using various scenarios.

Using Grouper V31R and Grouper 32 pilot versions, CSC ran selected X12 batch 837 transactions for professional, dental and institutional claims, representing a minimum of 10,000 claims. They converted all submitted ICD-9 codes to an ICD-10 equivalent using a crosswalk table. Then CSC compared and validated the results from the test against previous production claims.

Throughout all the types of testing, improvements continue to be made to the system.

Summary of Findings
• Payment variances are mainly on the hospital inpatient claims, due to the DRG code and weight differences.

• Key outpatient/professional test findings revealed that 95 percent of claims showed no variance in outcomes when comparing ICD-9 results to ICD-10 results. This demonstrates that the effect on physician practices may not be as significant as with institutional claims.

We will continue to update you on the provider and trading partner testing, and share with you what we learn, as we endeavor to make NCTracks ready for ICD-10.