Say good bye to your memorized ICD9-CM codes and watch them be replaced with an entirely new diagnosis and procedure coding structure for the United States health care system. Introducing ICD-10, the replacement of the well known diagnosis and procedure coding system known as ICD9-CM. Timeline to implementation ... January 2009. We are not talking about simple coding system modifications, we are talking about full blown coding system overhauls. The codes will be seven digits in length, replacing the current 5 digit length of ICD 9, resulting in alpha-numeric codes that will reach every aspect of our healthcare system, from our electronic medical records, patient accounting and claims processing systems, CMS formats, and HIPPA standard transaction sets to the replacement of suffix modifiers and consequently a virtual rebuilding of the third party payer system both public and private. Just when HIPPA standards are nearly achieved by the industry, this new twist in the ever-changing realm of the healthcare industry is taking shape, providers, insurers, public third party systems will need to stay on top of these events in order to survive. The conversion to ICD 10 is a very serious matter and planning must begin soon. Are you ready? Is your practice management or billing entity ready? Only those organizations with trained specialists, such as BCS, will be making the plans to make certain readiness is achieved prior to the implementation dates. If you wait for the government to assist you in this conversion process you will have waited far too long. Today's practice administrator needs to be prepared to address this issues in a step by step fashion including experts from all aspects of their organization, e.g. Medical Records Administrations, Information System Administration, Patient Accounting Administration, Electronic Data Interchange Administration, and of course medical staff must all be included in this massive restructuring event.