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CMS-1500 Form Changing

AAFP Resource Answers Members' Questions

By News Staff
6/19/2006

Questions about why CMS is revising its 1500 health insurance claim form, or CMS-1500, and how the changes affect physicians, led the Academy to compile an online resource with answers to some of members' most frequently asked questions.

Most of the changes made to the form were to accommodate the 10 digits that make up the National Provider Identifier, a provider-unique identifying number that individual health care professionals must begin using on May 23, 2007.

The Academy information advises physicians to prepare for minor modifications in their practice management billing systems by contacting their software vendors soon. Early notification will allow ample time for vendors to make changes.

Other information on the site includes how to
  • obtain a copy of the form for testing,
  • access a PDF file to see changes to the form,
  • get instructions on using the form and
  • meet the timeline for transition to the new form.
Use of the new form becomes mandatory on Feb. 1, 2007.

More details about the transition are available in a March edition of CMS' online publication, Medlearn Matters (PDF file: 2 pages / 31 KB. More about PDFs.).