The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued the final data specifications for OASIS 1.40, the new OASIS version that takes effect Oct. 1. "All assessment records with completion dates (M0090) on or after 10/1/2003 must conform to the version 1.40 specifications," CMS instructs on its OASIS Web site. "Assessments with earlier completion dates must conform to the version 1.30 specifications (or to earlier versions, as appropriate)." The final specs have two changes from the draft specs put out in April, CMS notes. A clarification of the implementation requirements and a change to consistency checks were added. Version 1.40 incorporates two major new features compared to previous versions: changes to diagnosis code reporting and the addition of branch identification number reporting, CMS notes. The final specs are at www.cms.hhs.gov/oasis/datasubm.asp.