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Press Releases

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined his Senate Doctors Caucus colleagues to introduce the Cutting Costly Codes Act of 2013, legislation to stop the adoption of convoluted new medical diagnosis codes mandated by the federal government.

The new medical diagnosis system increases the number of codes from 18,000 to 140,000. Media reports detail the complexity of the codes that range from injury sites to specifications of how injuries occurred. For example, there are nine codes for turkey-related injuries, including “struck by turkey sequential encounter” “pecked by turkey subsequent encounter,” and “other turkey contact initial encounter.” 

“ER physicians shouldn’t have to waste precious time determining which of nine medical codes corresponds to a patient’s turkey-related injury. This is crazy bureaucracy that does nothing to make patients healthy,” Boozman said. “Our health care providers face serious problems with Obamacare, and this maze of new codes makes matters worse.” 

The enactment of ICD-10 diagnosis codes were rightfully delayed by HHS for one year. The postponement means the health community will be responsible for this additional compliance beginning in October 2014. 

Boozman is joined by Sens. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), John Barrasso, M.D. (R-WY) and Rand Paul, M.D. (R-KY) in sponsoring this bill that has widespread support from medical professional groups including the American Medical Association.

Click here to read the PolitiFact story of these new coding guidelines.

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