The first compliance milestone for transition to the Accredited Standards Committee X12 Technical Reports Type 3, Version 005010 (Version 5010) electronic health care transaction standards is fast approaching.  “The Version 5010 standards and ICD-10 codes are necessary steps to facilitate the national transition to an electronic health care environment,” said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, M.D.

Health care providers, health plans, clearinghouses and vendors should be finished with their internal testing of the Version 5010 HIPAA electronic health care transaction standards by the first recommended deadline for internal testing, December 31, 2010, and be ready to start testing with their external partners, beginning in January 2011, just four months away. 

Beginning January 2011, CMS' Medicare Fee-for-Service program will be ready to test Version 5010 transaction standards with its external partners, and other industry segments should be poised to follow suit.  This recommended external testing start date will give the industry adequate time to ensure that their Version 5010 transactions are being conducted correctly, in preparation for mandatory Version 5010 compliance by January 1, 2012.