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Health Plan Enrollment and Disenrollment

Guidance for the enrollment and disenrollment in a health plan.

Final

Issued by: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Issue Date: August 02, 2020

Under HIPAA, HHS adopted standards for electronic transactions, including enrollment and disenrollment in a health plan.

The enrollment/disenrollment transaction is the transmission of subscriber enrollment information from the sponsor of the insurance coverage, benefits, or policy to a health plan to establish or terminate insurance coverage.

It may be used in coordination with health plans for:

  • New enrollments
  • Changes in a member’s enrollment
  • Reinstatement of a member’s enrollment
  • Disenrollment of members (i.e., termination of plan membership)

The enrollment/disenrollment transaction can include a periodic full update of a health plan sponsor’s health plan enrollees, or it can reflect a change to existing enrollment with modification instructions for certain enrollees.

HIPAA Adopted Standard

HHS adopted standard ASC X12N 834 for enrollment and disenrollment in a health plan.  For more information, see the official ASC X12N website.

This standard applies to all HIPAA-covered entities, health plans, health care clearinghouses, and certain health care providers, not just those who work with Medicare or Medicaid.

HHS is committed to making its websites and documents accessible to the widest possible audience, including individuals with disabilities. We are in the process of retroactively making some documents accessible. If you need assistance accessing an accessible version of this document, please reach out to the guidance@hhs.gov.

DISCLAIMER: The contents of this database lack the force and effect of law, except as authorized by law (including Medicare Advantage Rate Announcements and Advance Notices) or as specifically incorporated into a contract. The Department may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not posted on the guidance repository, except to establish historical facts.