Which Executables Work With Which Masks Files?

QUESTION:
Which Executables Work With Which Masks Files?

ANSWER:
Our code base is effectively split into the original branch which supports ICD9cm codes and the new branch which supports ICD10 codes.

The original branch has version numbers which begin with f (for "federal") while the new branch has version numbers which start with v. The original branch starts with f2 and ends with f32. The new branch starts with v33 and is currently up to v36.

In order to assign a DRG, you need both the logic (which we encode in the software) and the attributes or "masks" (which we encode in masks files).

The original branch is backwardly compatible: f32 has all the logic for some early version (f6, I believe) up and including f32. (The versions are internally designated with letters, so each executable can only support 26 versions. We have an executable and masks which support f2-f5 but that combination is a special order item).

The new branch is not backwardly compatible: v33 only supports v33, v34 only supports v34, etc. So v36 cannot use v34 masks because it does not have v34 logic in it.

We have a project on the books to combine all the logic into a backwardly compatible super-set, but currently this project is inactive.

I10 Progress Report #8: V33 Support Validated

Hurray, our DRG Assignment Engine (DAE) correctly handles the CMS test set with ICD10 codes and v33 code attributes and logic.

Now we just have to roll out the DAE into our pared-down product catalog and overhaul our web sit and on-line store and we will be all set.

Next stop: CSV support for the new DRGFilt.

I10 Progress Report #8: Masks File Has Been Built

We have built and validated the v33 masks file, so we are ready for integrated testing as soon as the logic module has been updated. We expect the logic upgrade to be done by midday tomorrow.

Question About DRG27

QUESTION

Hey there I currently have your v27 software and we recently put this into production for the current year.

My question is if it's backward compatible ?  I need to go back 3  years in my dataset and assign a drg value.  Can I use your software version to do this ? will it look at the service dates and assign a previous version ?  Or, must I buy a previous version or versions and apply based on the year ?

Thanks for your help.

ANSWER

(Before we start, I should point out the current version is F29, not F27; you can see the complete list of versions here:

http://www.drggroupers.com/grouper.html

For the purposes of this answer, I will assume that you knew this already and that you wanted F27.)

In order to assign DRGs for a given version, you need two things:

1. Logic, which we encode in software
2. Code attributes, which we encode in masks files

The software is always for a given version; in your case, that is F27. The software is backwardly compatible, provided that you have the masks files for previous vesrions.

So if  you have software for F27 and want to assign DRGs for F24, then all you would need to do is to buy the masks file ($100 from our on-line store at the above link) for F24. In fact, you can buy masks files for any version before F28 and then be able to assign DRGs for that version.