History of the CMS 1500 Claim Form –
The CMS 1500 claim form has not always been available for filing insurance claims. Billing insurance companies for patient services in the 1960s could be a nightmare. Every third-party payer and insurance company required proprietary forms or codes to use. There was no universally accepted form for providers to use. It was a real mess and a wonder providers ever got paid for their services.
In the 1980s the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the American Medical Association (AMA), along with other payer organizations, formed a group called the Uniform Claim Form Task Force. Their specific intent to create a standardized form. They created and promoted a universal health claim form called the 1500 Claim Form. This form is now accepted nationwide by most insurance carriers.
In the 90s the National Uniform Claim Committee became responsible for the maintenance of the 1500 Claim Form. They are still the organization responsible for any updates or changes to the form. They also set the standards for what information to include on the CMS 1500 Claim Form and its format.
We include the latest NUCC manual in the Speedy Claims CMS 1500 software. You can find it by clicking on “Help” at the top of the Speedy Claims window. Then selecting “NUCC Claim Form Instruction” from the drop down list.
It covers every single field on the form.
Next: Sections of the CMS 1500 form.