AIM Coalition Announces Establishment of ICD-10-CM Code for Sarcopenia by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) April 28, 2016 -- The Aging in Motion Coalition (AIM) has announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established an ICD-10-CM code for sarcopenia, giving it recognition for separate reporting and data collection. The code, M62.84, will be available for use by the medical community effective October 1, 2016.
Sarcopenia is defined as a combination of low muscle mass and weakness in older adults that causes functional problems. The new code designation for the disease has the potential to affect sarcopenia research and treatment in a number of ways, including:
- Allowing for clearer establishment of clinical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia.
- Opening new avenues for development of novel therapeutics by researchers and approval of them by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Making condition data available on Electronic Medical Records, Death Certificates, and other system data sources, which will help researchers more easily access this data.
- Creating an incentive for development of educational resources for prevention and treatment and a basis for ordering tests and referrals.
AIM, a coalition of organizations working to advance research and treatment of sarcopenia and age-related functional decline, led the efforts to secure an ICD-10-CM code for this condition.
“We are gratified that the CDC has recognized sarcopenia as an independently reportable condition through the establishment of this code,” says Cynthia Bens, executive director of AIM. “Sarcopenia has long been an under-recognized, chronic health care challenge affecting older adults. The AIM Coalition has worked diligently to secure recognition of sarcopenia by the CDC, and we look forward to seeing how it helps our efforts to raise awareness and reduce treatment barriers in the medical, public policy, and research communities.”
AIM submitted a proposal for a code to the ICD-10 Coordination and Maintenance Committee, co-chaired by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, in July 2014.
Now with the new code classification, Bens says the coalition’s next steps include: encouraging sarcopenia screening and diagnosis standards, working with partners to educate providers about the new code, expanding access to sarcopenia treatments in development, and collaborating with stakeholders to develop an international consensus on clinically relevant aspects of the disease.
For more information, please visit the press kit page.
About the AIM Coalition
The Aging in Motion (AIM) Coalition is a diverse group of patient, caregiver, health, and aging groups working together to press for greater levels of research and innovation to develop treatments in the area of sarcopenia and age-related functional decline. Initiated by the Alliance for Aging Research, the AIM Coalition members are leading ongoing interactions with clinicians, regulators, and policy influencers to overcome obstacles that impede the development and evaluation of promising treatments for sarcopenia and associated functional decline in people as they age. AIM members represent patients, providers, caregivers, consumers, aging Americans, researchers, employers, and the health care industry. For more information, please visit aginginmotion.org.
Noel Lloyd, Alliance for Aging Research, http://agingresearch.org, +1 (202) 688-1229, [email protected]
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