---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1320d–3"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1320d–3"
heading: "Timetables for adoption of standards"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1320d-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter XI — General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification"
  - "Part C — Administrative Simplification"
---

# §1320d–3. Timetables for adoption of standards

- (a) **Initial standards—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall carry out [section 1320d–2 of this title](/usc/42/1320d–2.md) not later than 18 months after August 21, 1996, except that [standards](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) relating to claims attachments shall be adopted not later than 30 months after August 21, 1996.
- (b) **Additions and modifications to standards—**
  - (1) **In general—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall review the [standards](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) adopted under [section 1320d–2 of this title](/usc/42/1320d–2.md), and shall adopt modifications to the [standards](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) ([including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b) additions to the [standards](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7)), as determined appropriate, but not more frequently than once every 12 months. Any addition or modification to a [standard](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) shall be completed in a manner which minimizes the disruption and cost of compliance.
  - (2) **Special rules—**
    - (A) **First 12-month period—** Except with respect to additions and modifications to [code sets](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=1) under [subparagraph (B)](#b-2-B), the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) may not adopt any modification to a [standard](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) adopted under this part during the 12-month period beginning on the date the [standard](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) is initially adopted, unless the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) determines that the modification is necessary in order to permit compliance with the [standard](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7).
    - (B) **Additions and modifications to code sets—**
      - (i) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall ensure that procedures exist for the routine maintenance, testing, enhancement, and expansion of [code sets](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=1).
      - (ii) **Additional rules—** If a [code set](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=1) is modified under this subsection, the modified [code set](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=1) shall include instructions on how data elements of [health information](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=4) that were encoded prior to the modification may be converted or translated so as to preserve the informational value of the data elements that existed before the modification. Any modification to a [code set](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=1) under this subsection shall be implemented in a manner that minimizes the disruption and cost of complying with such modification.

## Source credit

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XI, § 1174, as added Pub. L. 104–191, title II, § 262(a), Aug. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 2026.)