BCBSOK Discusses the Controversial ICD-10 Transition at the 2009 HIMSS Conference

New Payment Process Affects Doctors, Hospitals and Insurers

As an expert on ICD-10 issues, Dr. Joe Nicholson, Chief Medical Officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) is set to present at the 2009 HIMSS conference on Sunday, April 5, 2009.  Dr. Nicholson will explain how he has helped the country’s fourth largest health insurer, Health Care Service Corporation, prepare for the massive overhaul in diagnosis coding, billing and claims at its BCBSOK plan as well as its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico and Texas. 

Nicholson will be accompanied by Mark Williams, director of client services for PricewaterhouseCoopers.   The two speakers will provide background information on ICD-9 and update conference attendees on the controversy surrounding the adoption of ICD-10.  In addition, they will discuss the benefits of a transition and the challenges for providers, payers, pharma companies and others.

WHO:  Dr. Joe Nicholson, CMO for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma
Mark Williams, Director of Client Services for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
WHAT:   "The ICD-10 Transition: Valuable Lessons Learned by Early Converts"
WHEN:   9:45am-10:45am
WHERE:   HIMSS Conference (April 5, 2009) Chicago, IL (http://www.himssconference.org/ )

About HIMSS

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is the healthcare industry's membership organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare.

About Health Care Service Corporation

Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States and the fourth largest health insurer in the country overall, with 12.4 million members in its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. HCSC also has a rating of AA- (Very Strong) from Standard and Poor’s, Aa3 (Excellent) from Moody’s and A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best Company. For more information, visit http://www.hcsc.com/ .

Media Contact:  Ross Blackstone, HCSC
(972-766-1735, Ross_Blackstone@HCSC.net)

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