X12’s Annual Release Cycle Keeps Implementation Guides Up to Date

X12’s Annual Release Cycle continues to update implementation guides to keep pace with the fast-moving changes, for example, to health care administrative and clinical requirements. The current activities include completing the 008030 implementation guide annual release in 2022, followed by moving from the 2022 version (008030) to the 2023 version (008040) in 2023, with annual updates forthcoming.

Established in 2019, the X12 Annual Release Cycle enables specific requests for transaction updates to be received, analyzed, and applied to current versions. The result is X12’s annual publishing of newly updated guides to meet the latest industry needs.

Historically, X12’s EDI Standard was published annually, and updated versions of implementation guides were published with no set schedule. Today, following the above example, health plans, health care providers, clearinghouses, other business entities, and government agencies enjoy a predictable and reliable schedule to plan regular updates for the near future and allocate the necessary resources. The more frequent and less extensive annual updates enable implementers to reap new benefits such as the ability to easily determine the implementation cost and time.

Information detailing this effective process can be found on X12’s website. Stakeholders are encouraged to share feedback via X12’s online feedback form.

X12 Implementation Guides, many versions of the X12 Standard, and other supporting information are accessible online through Glass, X12’s online standards viewer. Complimentary Glass subscriptions are provided to primary and alternate X12 member representatives. Additional Glass user seats can be purchased by contacting licensing@x12.org.