General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs) and
Partial ICD-9 and ICD-10 Code Freeze
Posted 6-8-11
General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the national version of the GEMs to ensure that consistency in national data is maintained. The GEMs are tools that act mainly as a crosswalk between the ICD–9 and ICD–10 codes. You can look up an ICD–9 code and be provided with the most appropriate ICD–10 matches and vice versa. They are not a substitute for learning the new ICD–10 codes; however, they can assist users doing the following:
- Translating lists of codes, code tables or other coded data
- Converting a system or application containing ICD–9–CM codes
- Creating a one-to-one applied mapping (crosswalk) between code sets that will be used in an ongoing way to translate records or other coded data
- Studying the differences in meaning between the ICD–9–CM classification systems and the ICD–10-CM/PCS classification systems by looking at the GEMs entries for a given code or area of classification
- The 2011 GEMs are posted on the CMS ICD–10 Web site. As a reminder, if you plan to use a GEM, per the Affordable Care Act, you must use the GEMs posted on the CMS Web site.
For more information on the GEMs, look at the GEMs Fact Sheet and the GEMs pages of the ICD–10 Web site.
Partial Code Freeze
Because continual updates and changes to the existing code sets may potentially make the transition to ICD–10 difficult, CMS will be implementing a partial code freeze on October 1, 2011. This is the last day for regular updates to both the ICD-9 and ICD–10 code sets.
Starting October 1, 2012, there will be only limited code updates to ICD–9–CM and ICD–10 code sets to capture new technology and new diseases. There will be no updates to ICD–9–CM on October 1, 2013, as the system will no longer be a HIPAA standard. Keep up-to-date on Version 5010 and ICD–10.
Please visit www.cms.gov/ICD10 for the latest news and resources to help you prepare.
