CMS Delays HIPAA 5010 Transaction Standards
CMS has announced a delay in the enforcement for updated HIPAA transaction standards ASC X12 Ver 5010 and NCPDP Versions D.0 and 3.0. The announcement was released yesterday by CMS Office of e-Health Standards and Services (OESS). No enforcement will be initiated on any covered entity required to comply for an additional three month. This brings the compliance date to June 30, 2012.
Last November OESS announced a 90-day discretion period for enforement to the standards which will end on March 31. The HIPAA compliance date was always January 1, 2012 and all covered entities were encouraged to comply with udated systems to use the ASC X12 Version 5010 (Version 5010), NCPDP Telecom D.0 (NCPDP D.0) and NCPDP Medicaid Subrogation 3.0 (NCPDP 3.0) standards,
CMS is reporting high percentages of HIPAA 5010 compliance with 70% of Part A claims and as much as 90% of Part B claims processing. And there are some States reporting full transitions in the Medicaid program. They are reporting similar progress with Version D.0. However, remaining issues are enough to have OESS extend the discretion period another 90 days. Under no circumstances should covered entities that are not compliant delay the implementation and updating of systems to the new standards. Solutions to remaining issues should be a priority. This is not a delay in HIPAA compliance but a delay in enforcement of the deadline that was January 1, 2012.