The Secretary adopts the following standards for the eligibility for a health plan transaction:

(a) For the period from October 16, 2003 through March 16, 2009:

(1) Retail pharmacy drugs. The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs Telecommunication Standard Implementation Guide, Version 5, Release 1 (Version 5.1), September 1999, and equivalent NCPDP Batch Standard Batch Implementation Guide, Version 1, Release 1 (Version 1.1), January 2000 supporting Telecommunications Standard Implementation Guide, Version 5, Release 1 (Version 5.1) for the NCPDP Data Record in the Detail Data Record. (Incorporated by reference in §162.920).

(2) Dental, professional, and institutional health care eligibility benefit inquiry and response. The ASC X12N 270/271—Health Care Eligibility Benefit Inquiry and Response, Version 4010, May 2000, Washington Publishing Company, 004010X092 and Addenda to Health Care Eligibility Benefit Inquiry and Response, Version 4010, October 2002, Washington Publishing Company, 004010X092A1. (Incorporated by reference in §162.920).

(b) For the period from March 17, 2009 through December 31, 2011 both:

(1) The standards identified in paragraph (a) of this section; and

(2)

(i) Retail pharmacy drugs. The Telecommunication Standard Implementation Guide Version D, Release 0 (Version D.0), August 2007, and equivalent Batch Standard Implementation Guide, Version 1, Release 2 (Version 1.2), National Council for Prescription Drug Programs. (Incorporated by reference in §162.920.)

(ii) Dental, professional, and institutional health care eligibility benefit inquiry and response. The ASC X12 Standards for Electronic Data Interchange Technical Report Type 3—Health Care Eligibility Benefit Inquiry and Response (270/271), April 2008, ASC X12N/005010X279. (Incorporated by reference in §162.920.)

(c) For the period on and after January 1, 2012, the standards identified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

[68 FR 8398, Feb. 20, 2003; 68 FR 11445, Mar. 10, 2003, as amended at 74 FR 3326, Jan. 16, 2009]