----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy Spector <Nancy.Spector@...>
Sent: 29 November 2005
Subject: NUCC Approves a Revised 1500 Health Insurance Claim Form


Chicago, IL – The National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC) announces
today the release of the new version of the 1500 Health Insurance Claim
Form (version 08/05) that accommodates the reporting of the National
Provider Identifier (NPI). This new version will update the existing
1500 Claim Form (version 12/90), often referred to as the HCFA 1500 or
CMS 1500.

The revised 1500 Claim Form has been submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for approval for use with federal programs,
such as Medicare. The revised form is currently available for testing
and transition preparation purposes only. It is not to be used for the
official purpose of claims submission at this time.

Although not mandated by law, the NUCC recommends the following timeline
for transitioning to the new version of the 1500 Claim Form:
October 1, 2006: Health plans, clearinghouses, and other
information support vendors should be ready to handle
and accept the revised (08/05) 1500 Claim Form.
October 1, 2006 – February 1, 2007: Providers can use either the
current (12/90) version or the revised (08/05) version of
the 1500 Claim Form.
February 1, 2007: The current (12/90) version of the 1500 Claim
Form is discontinued; only the revised (08/05) form is to
be used. All rebilling of claims should use the revised
(08/05) form from this date forward, even though earlier
submissions may have been on the current (12/90) 1500
Claim Form.

Because the current 1500 Claim Form (version 12/90) is due to expire
with the OMB in March 2006, it will be renewed to allow its continued
use during this transition period.

The NUCC began the revisions to the 1500 Claim Form in June 2004 by
identifying how to best accommodate the NPI with minimal changes to the
current form. Two public comment periods were held to solicit feedback
on the proposed changes to the form. All of the revisions made to the
form were either NPI-related or a significant need for the change was
identified.

Form Availability

Documents related to the release of the new version of the form,
including the revised form, a new reference instruction manual, a log of
changes to the current form, and the recommended transition timeline,
are available at www.nucc.org.

The revised 1500 Claim Form available on the NUCC website may not print
to its exact specifications unless using a special printer programmed to
print forms. To receive copies of the revised form with the
specifications needed for testing purposes, please contact TFP Data
Systems at JRMagdaleno@....

In addition to revising the 1500 Claim Form, the NUCC has drafted a
reference instruction manual detailing how to complete the form. The
purpose of this manual is to help standardize nationally the manner in
which the form is being completed. A copy of the instruction manual is
available on the NUCC website.

OMB Approval Process

During the OMB approval process, the revised 1500 Claim Form will be
released for two public comment periods. Although the NUCC does not
anticipate major additional changes being made to the revised form, it
is possible that changes could be made as part of the OMB approval
process. Once the revised 1500 Claim Form has been officially approved
by the OMB, the NUCC will release the final version of the form, which
will include the OMB numbers added to the bottom of the form. Approval
is expected to take place in Spring 2006.

About the NUCC

The National Uniform Claim Committee is a voluntary organization whose
members include representatives from major provider, payer, health
researchers, and other organizations representing billing professionals,
and electronic standard developers.

The NUCC maintains the uniform data set known as the National Uniform
Claim Committee Data Set designed for the non-institutional claims. The
NUCC is one of four national organizations named in the 1996 HIPAA
Administrative Simplification legislation for a consultative role in
establishing administrative standards for health care. The NUCC is also
signatory to a Memorandum of Understanding with five other organizations
designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to
collectively serve as the Designated Standard Maintenance Organizations
(DSMO) to the HIPAA Transaction Standard Implementation Guides.

For more information on the revision of the 1500 Claim Form, visit the
NUCC website at www.nucc.org or contact Nancy Spector, NUCC Secretary,
at nancy.spector@....

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