[MMA News Now, May 17, 2012] Just weeks after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule that would delay implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis and procedure codes (ICD-10), the AMA has proposed extending the deadline even further to Oct. 1, 2015.

“A two-year delay of the compliance deadline for ICD-10 is a necessary first step,” wrote James Madara, M.D., AMA executive vice president and CEO, to the CMS on May 10. “This postponement period would provide CMS with adequate time to pursue a much needed cost-benefit analysis of the full ICD-10 move that covers the administrative and financial impact of the ICD-10 move on physician practices.”

The letter goes on to recommend: “If stakeholders cannot reach consensus on this matter during this two-year delay period, then the move to ICD-10 should be postponed indefinitely.”

The AMA estimates that depending on the size of the medical practice, the costs for implementing ICD-10 ranges from $83,290 to more than $2.7 million.

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