Frequently Asked Questions - Updated April 16th, 2007
Goal: To provide a quick reference for commonly asked questions about the UB-04 837i CHARS system:

Categories:
CHARS Representative/HIM FAQ's


Questions
CHARS Representative/HIM FAQ's
R1. When do the new rules for CHARS UB-04 become effective?
R2. When will Present on Admission (POA) be required to be reported?
R3. How many diagnoses and procedure codes will the UB-04 accommodate?
R4. Should hospitals report Self Pays to CHARS?
R5 How should hospitals submit Self Pays?
R6 Why should Self Pays be reported?
R7 How long can hospitals submit UB-92 flat files?
R8 Can CHARS accept a UB-92 flat file?
R9 Can hospitals report UB-04 data in the old CHARS flat file?
R10 What does CHARS have ready for UB-04 file transmission?
R11 What will CHARS do with the data received between March 2007 and May 23rd, 2007?
R12  Do hospitals have to buy a new fob to register to use CHARS UB-04?
R13 What types of patient discharges do we report to CHARS in the UB-04 format?
R14 How should hospital staff collect race and ethnicity data on patients?
 

CHARS Representative/HIM FAQ's Responses
R1  When do the new rules for CHARS UB-04 become effective:
The Washington Administrative Code which governs the collection of CHARS data  became effect May 23, 2007 which coincides with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid deadline to report data in the new UB-04 format and 837i file format. We expect the July 2007 data will be in the new UB-04 format. We will work with individual hospitals who have concerns with the timeframe.
R2  When will Present on Admission (POA) be reported?
DOH will not require reporting of POA until Centers for Medicare and Medicaid require it to be reported through the UB-04, currently October 1, 2007. 
DOH will use the CMS standard of reporting the data.
R3  How many diagnoses and procedure codes will the UB-04 accommodate?
The UB-04 will accommodate 1 principal diagnosis and 17 additional diagnoses.  It will also support 1 principal procedure and 5 additional procedures.
R4. Should hospitals report Self Pays to CHARS?
Yes.
R5  How should hospitals submit Self Pays?
a.  If the hospital submits data electronically, use the 837i format.
b.  The data can be manually keyed by the hospital..
c.  Hospitals can print the UB-04 and mail it to CHARS staff for data entry with prior approval from DOH..
R6  Why should Self Pays be reported?
A.  CHARS is a comprehensive data collection set used for public health.  Therefore, we want the complete representation of hospital usage regardless of payor for the community.
R7  How long can hospitals submit UB-92 flat files?
2007 is a transition year.  DOH CHARS staff will work with hospitals individually as the transition takes place from UB-92 to UB-04. We expect to see an initial CHARS 837i file test before August 2007. We expect the July 2007 data will be in the new UB-04 format.
R8  Can CHARS accept a UB-92 flat file?
Yes, version 5.0 UB-92 data only.
R9  Can hospitals report UB-04 data in the old CHARS flat file?
No.  We are working on a transition plan for hospitals who cannot produce an 837i for CHARS by May 23rd, 2007.
Do NOT put UB-04 based elements into the UB-92 flat file even for submittals after the May 23rd deadline.
In other words,  do not change anything on the "old" CHARS UB-92 flat file submittals no matter when they are sent to us.
R10   What does CHARS have ready for UB-04 file transmission?
CHARS  has a Welcome Page for UB-04 with a page to download 837 files.. The welcome page has a short message, Customer Support Helpline toll free number, and a button to submit data. Hospitals that submit data will receive a confirmation that the data was received along with a notification of what edits the data has passed.
To access this service, you will need to contact Kim Dunlap at 360.236.2308..
R11 What will CHARS do with the data received?
CHARS will store the data that is sent by hospitals, but will not process data until our file processing software is ready.
R12  Do hospitals have to buy a new fob to register to use CHARS UB-04?
No.  Hospitals can use their existing fobs, existing log on and password.  CHARS Help desk staff will work with you to add the UB-04 link at your Transact Washington web page as a new application.
R13 What types of patient discharges do we report to CHARS in the UB-04 format?
Hospitals should report inpatient discharges AND OBSERVATION STAYS.  PER WAC 246-455-010  Definitions (8)  “patient discharge means the termination of an inpatient admission or observation stay, including admissions as a result of a birth, in a Washington Hospital.”
R14  How should hospital staff collect race and ethnicity data on patients?
CHARS is following OMB standards for race and ethnicity categories and reporting.  We recommend that hospital staff ask the patient (when possible) to self report on each question separately.  In answering the race question, patients may select up to 5 categories. To answer ethnicity, only one category should be selected. For example, a hospital representative might say to a new patient, “ The Washington State Department of Health is collecting data on race and ethnicity to improve public health.   Do you mind answering these two questions?”   At that point the patient could then choose the answers to race and ethnicity.

Specialized Topic Page
CHARS Hospital Representative and Technical Information Page
This page is for data provider hospitals to stay informed on their role.
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ's
This page is for answers to common questions about our new UB-04 CHARS
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Change Process
This page will track the process to update the CHARS WAC.
Recommendation Committee
The committee purpose was to review additional elements to collect for the CHARS system.
 

Contact Information:
email: Chars UB-04 Process
Comments or questions regarding this process or this web site?
Send email to Hospital Data at CHS