Hospitals and healthcare providers are currently in the 90-day "enforcement discretion period" of HIPAA Version 5010, and CMS released guidance on how providers can work with their vendors to ensure a timely Version 5010 upgrade.
To help assess readiness, CMS recommends providers ask their vendors seven main questions:
1. Have they upgraded their systems to meet Version 5010 standards?
2. If they have not yet upgraded, when will they do so?
3. What will be the cost for each upgrade?
4. What versions of their software will be upgraded, and will these upgrades require any additional hardware upgrades?
5. How often will updates occur, and what is the delivery method?
6. How are issues (e.g., technological glitches, etc.) logged, and how will they be addressed?
7. Is there training available for the new system changes and/or functionalities?
The compliance deadline to upgrade to Version 5010 from Version 4010/4010A was Jan. 1, 2012, and the enforcement discretion period ends March 31, 2012.
To help assess readiness, CMS recommends providers ask their vendors seven main questions:
1. Have they upgraded their systems to meet Version 5010 standards?
2. If they have not yet upgraded, when will they do so?
3. What will be the cost for each upgrade?
4. What versions of their software will be upgraded, and will these upgrades require any additional hardware upgrades?
5. How often will updates occur, and what is the delivery method?
6. How are issues (e.g., technological glitches, etc.) logged, and how will they be addressed?
7. Is there training available for the new system changes and/or functionalities?
The compliance deadline to upgrade to Version 5010 from Version 4010/4010A was Jan. 1, 2012, and the enforcement discretion period ends March 31, 2012.
Related Articles on Version 5010:
CMS Announces 5010 Changes for Non-Specific Anesthesia Codes
9 Things Healthcare Organizations Should Do Now to Prepare for ICD-10
4 Version 5010 Risk Mitigation Strategies