Billing and Coding: ICD-11 Codes for Traditional Medicine

Welcome to your billing and coding weekly solutions by American Acupuncture Council Network (AAC).

2021 is not only the year of the Ox, but also the year to start learning the ICD-11 codes for traditional medicine.

The traditional medicine ICD-11 diagnostic classification was completed and voted on by the World Health Organization (WHO) General Assembly in 2017. Countries around the world were excited about the inclusion of acupuncture in the International Classification of Disease codes.

There are 408 traditional medicine codes in the ICD-11, which will be released in February 2021 for use and training in advance of the 2022 implementation date.

Acupuncturists will be double coding, which means you will be coding both a Western ICD code and an Eastern traditional medicine code. As an AAC Network member you will know exactly which codes to use and when.

This is also an important opportunity to adopt technology since the code sets have been formulated and structured with technology.

All practitioners (Eastern and Western) will be able to take training classes on how to use the new codes, including correct usage and interfacing of Western and Eastern codes.

Remember, billing with incorrect acupuncture CPT and ICD codes can lead to claim rejections and delays in payments, which can have a devastating impact on generating revenue and keeping you in business. 

If you are experiencing insurance claim denial, staff spending too much time trying to get claims paid, and patients asking why their claims have not been paid then American Acupuncture Council Network is your solution.

American Acupuncture Council Network stays ahead of the curve on the latest trends and changes in billing and coding by utilizing their direct channel of communication with the insurance companies and organizations that set the guidelines.

There is a reason acupuncturists have trusted AAC with their business for over 30 years.