Work is now underway using conference calls, list servers, web boards,
and Trimester and potentially interim meetings on the next round of X12N
documents that are the counterparts of the 004010 and 004010A1 version
Implementation Guides adopted under HIPAA. Below are some salient points
for your information.

A. These new documents are planned to be issued as X12 Type Three
Technical Reports (TR3) rather than X12N Implementation Guides. This
represents an expansion of X12N's and X12's internal processes and
reviews, but should have only minimal impacts once the new documents are
published.

B. The new TR3's will be written for X12's version 005010 standards
that were approved for publication in October, 2003.

C. X12N's TR3 authoring work groups are presently writing on
differing, staggered schedules. A better understanding of their various
cut-off and completion milestones will evolve over the next few
months. In the meantime, I encourage anyone desiring to request changes
for potential -- but not guaranteed -- consideration for inclusion in
the version 005010 TR3's, or any other HIPAA materials, to submit them
to the Designated Standards Maintenance Organizations' (DSMO) web site
[ www.hipaa-dsmo.org/crs ] without undue procrastination.

D. Submitters of change requests will soon find that additional
information will be required for each request. This information varies
depending on the primary DSMO impacted. The specific additional
information items have been derived from actual experiences over the
past couple of years and are intended to facilitate and accelerate the
analyses performed by the various DSMO unpaid volunteers.
For change requests relating to X12N guides, submitters should
be prepared to provide the following additional information:
-- an explicit indication of each current guide impacted, along with
the applicable sections, page numbers, and version
-- any healthcare specialties that drive or are impacted by the
change request
-- a readily contactable subject matter expert name, e-mail
address, and telephone number
-- an alternate contact name, e-mail address, and telephone number
-- any X12N groups that may have been contacted in the past
and their responses
-- any industry organizations that may have been consulted in the
past and their comments
-- references to any previous change requests and frequently asked
questions / responses

For those who are looking for more information on how the HIPAA
TCS adoption processes are presently and will play out into the future,
the attachment lists some training that's available from my company.

I hope the above proves informative and useful. Please feel free to
forward this message in its entirety to any others whom you believe
could benefit.

Dave Feinberg
Co-chair, HIPAA Implementation Work Group
Insurance Subcommittee (X12N)
Accredited Standards Committee X12
Rensis Corporation [A Consulting Company]
206-617-1717
DAFeinberg@...
Author of "Understanding HIPAA Communications"