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Future Coding Changes Drug Coding Did you know that coding for drugs and biologicals will probably be moving from the traditional Health Care Financing Administration Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) "J" codes to National Drug Codes (NDC) for Medicare, other Federal, and private payer insurance programs effective in October 2002? The NDCs, developed by the Food and Drug Administra-tion, will be eleven digits, replacing the current five digits for HCPCS drug codes. The Office for Billing Compliance will keep you informed, as additional information becomes available in addressing the many questions that remain to be answered prior to the implementation of this change. ICD-9-CM There will be new and revised diagnoses codes effective October 2001. Among the new codes will be V70.7, examination of a participant in a clinical trial. ICD Category 493, for asthma, will contain several revisions for accurate coding of the disease process.
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