Home Health & Hospice Week

You'd better switch over to the 5010 version of electronic remittance advices (835s) by the end of the month, or you'll miss out on seeing your RAs.

Beginning Aug. 1, "the Medicare FFS program shall produce only the 835 remittance advice transaction in the ASC X12 Version 5010," CMS says in a message to providers. "Medicare FFS has stated in previous communications that trading partners would be allowed an additional 30 days to complete the 835 remittance advice transaction transition."

Benefits: You'll see some improvements in the 5010 version, CMS promises. "In version 5010, the Health Policy Segment will report the National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) and Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs)," the agency says. "The 835 also will have the website where the specific LCD/NCD code is explained. Providers will have access to the code as well as the code description."

The 5010 version of the 835 also will contain technical contact information not in version 4010, CMS adds. "Version 5010 contains new segments such as coverage expiration date and claim received date which will help provider's access important information without manual intervention."