ANSI ASC X12 standards are developed using a consensus process. To understand the X12 change process it is necessary to understand the X12 organization. Below is an X12 organization chart. It should be noted that not all subcommittees, task groups, or work groups are listed, but all the relevant groups necessary to make a change to the Claim/Encounter 837 standard are included. Changes to the ANSI ASC X12 standards are called data maintenance (DM).
X12
Change Process Summary for recommended changes to X12 standard
|
| Step 1 |
Work Group
Approval: Change request (DM) presented to work
group for discussion and approval. If this is a change to the claim /
encounter 837-transaction set, the claims work group (X12N TG2
WG2) would be the approving group. If this is a change to the
standard, any other work groups that are developing transaction
sets that would also use the part of the standard to be changed must
also grant approval. This step involves creating a business case for
the proposed change and presenting it before the work group at one
of the ANSI ASC X12N trimester meetings.
|
| Step 1A |
Architecture
Approval: This step is optional, but it is highly
recommended. Architecture (X12N TG8) is staffed by experts in
the X12 standard. Their review typically ensures that X12 syntax
rules are followed with each request to change X12 standards. This
step involves creating a business case for the proposed change and
presenting it before the task group at one of the ANSI ASC X12N
trimester meetings.
|
| Step 2 |
Task Group Approval:
Change request (DM) is presented to the Health Care Task Group (X12N TG2) for discussion and approval. If the change to the standard affects other task groups it is highly recommended that those affected task groups be consulted before the change request is moved to step 4. This step involves creating a business case for the proposed change and presenting it before the task group at one of the ANSI ASC X12N trimester meetings.
|
| Step 3 |
Subcommittee Approval: Change request (DM) is presented to the Insurance Subcommittee (X12N) for discussion and approval. If the change to the standard affects other subcommittees it is highly recommended that those affected subcommittees be consulted before the change request is moved to step 4. This step involves creating a business case for the proposed change and presenting it before the N subcommittee at one of the ANSI ASC X12N trimester meetings.
|
| Step 4 |
Technical
Assessment Approval:Change request (DM) is presented to the Technical Assessment Subcommittee (X12J) for approval.
|
| Step 5 |
X12 Ballot
Approval: Change request is put on a ballot to be approved by the general X12 membership. A vote to disapprove must be accompanied by a reason and signed by the dissenting individual or organization.
|
| Notes: |
If there is a vote to disapprove at any step in the process the individual or group suggesting a change would need to go back one step to resolve the issues that caused the negative votes.
If a data maintenance request involves changes to a transaction named in the HIPAA legislation, the change must be approved by the Designated Standards Maintenance Organizations (DSMO).
|
X12 Change Process Summary for recommended
changes to X12N Implementation Guide
|
| Step 1 |
Work Group
Approval:Change request presented to work group for discussion and approval. This step involves creating a business case for the proposed change and presenting it before the work group at one of the ANSI ASC X12N trimester meetings.
|
| Step 2 |
Task Group Approval:
Change request is presented to the Health Care Task Group (X12N TG2) for discussion and approval. This step involves creating a business case for the proposed change and presenting it before the task group at one of the ANSI ASC X12N trimester meetings.
|
| Step 3 |
Subcommittee
Approval:Change request is presented to the
Insurance Subcommittee (X12N) for discussion and approval. This
step involves creating a business case for the proposed change and
presenting it before the N subcommittee at one of the ANSI ASC
X12N trimester meetings.
|
| Notes: |
If there is a vote to disapprove at any step in the process the
individual or group suggesting a change would need to go back
one step to resolve the issues that caused the negative votes.
|
Web Site References
|
| Standing Document 2: |
Operations Manual: Development and Maintenance Procedures for
Standards, Interpretations, Guidelines and Technical Reports. This
is an ANSI ASC X12 document that defines the procedures that
must be followed for development and maintenance of ANSI ASC
X12 standards.
http://www.x12.org/x12org/Subcommittees/dev/sd2.pdf
|
| X12 Workbook |
The ANSI ASC X12 standards can be downloaded from this web
site. You or your organization must be a member of ANSI to be
able to download the standards, which include all the X12
transactions, segments, data elements, data maintenance, and code
lists. Go to the website, the X12 home page, and click on the Drop
Down Box with Quick Links as first entry in upper right hand
corner.
http://www.x12.org
|
| Implementation Guides |
The X12 implementation guides are published by the Washington
Publishing Company. The implementation guides are available
through the Washington Publishing Company Wed site.
http://www.wpc-edi.com
|
| DSMO Web Site |
This web site is the entry point for changes to the ANSI ASC X12
transactions named in the HIPAA legislation. All changes to the
mandated HIPAA transactions must be approved by the
Designated Standards Maintenance Organizations. Requests are
initiated and tracked via this web site. Note: To enter a change
request, you will need to go through a registration process.
http://www.hipaa-dsmo.org/
|
| Sample Business Case |
See documents from
NCHS for mother’s medical record number and race / ethnicity. |
