CMS To Implement Condition Codes January 3, 2005

CMS officials formally announced that they would be implementing the condition codes on January 3, 2005.

CMS will implement the codes through the issuance of Transmittal 395 (Change Request 3619) which will be available in a couple of days on the CMS Ambulance Webpage.  Transmittal 395 includes the current list of condition codes and is attached to this Member Advisory.

Due to HIPAA concerns, CMS at this time plans to implement the list of condition codes on a voluntary basis.  The American Ambulance Association (AAA) believed they had addressed these concerns earlier this year and only recently learned of the issue but will continue to work with CMS to implement the codes on a mandatory basis.  The AAA will also continue to work with CMS on instructions to accompany the list to provide guidelines to ambulance service providers on how to use the codes.

On Friday, January 7, 2005, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (eastern), the AAA will be holding a teleconference on the condition codes for AAA members.