Op-Ed: 5010 Deadline Approaches, Physicians in Varying States of Preparedness

As the June 30, 2012 CMS enforcement date of version 5010 approaches rapidly, practices and surgery centers must get up to date with implementation or face rejected transactions and possible penalties from CMS, according to Debbi Meisner, vice president of regulatory compliance strategy for Emdeon, in an editorial for Government Health IT.

Like other technical changes, the 5010 conversion has not been without gliches, Ms. Meisner said. The AMA received many reports from members claiming disruptions in their cash flow from claim submission glitches, and other AMA member physicians expressed concerns that claim status reports were not being distributed on time.

Ms. Meisner said that despite these glitches, progress toward the implementation date continues, and providers are benefitting from a system that standardizes processing and makes referrals and authorizations easier to complete.

She said physicians behind the implementation curve should be wary of rejected transactions and possible penalties from the government. If physicians have not tested 5010 Medicare transactions, they must submit a plan for the transition tot heir Medicare contractor. She said facilities that are submitting Medicare claims through a clearinghouse and are not yet submitting in the 5010 format must check with the clearinghouse to make sure they are ready for the transition.

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