Version 5010 Discretionary Enforcement Period Announced
Discretionary Period Announced for Version 5010 Compliance
A discretionary 90-day enforcement period for all HIPAA covered entities impacted by the Version 5010 (ASC X12 Version 5010) transition has recently been announced by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
With the January 1, 2012 compliance deadline for the implementation of Version 5010 fast approaching, CMS recently announced that it will not initiate enforcement action until March 31, 2012. The decision was made by CMS based on industry response stating many organizations had yet to finalize system upgrades required for the transition.
CMS encourages internal and external testing of Version 5010 transactions to ensure compliance. While enforcement will not occur before March 31, 2012, it is suggested that all impacted parties continue to implement the necessary requirements needed to comply with Version 5010.
It is important to note that The Office of E-Health Standards and Services (OESS) will not be dormant during the 90 discretionary period as they will continue to accept complaints associated with compliance. Entities that are subject to complaints will be required to produce evidence of an established plan to become compliant during the discretionary period.