Minnesota Administrative Uniformity Committee

The AUC’s mission is to develop agreement among group purchasers and providers on standardized administrative processes when implementation of the processes will reduce administrative costs.

Mission Statement, History and Governing Principles (PDF)

AUC Antitrust Statement:

The mission of the AUC is to develop agreement among Minnesota health care payers and providers regarding standardized administrative processes, which will reduce administrative costs, and thereby increase the efficiency of health care delivery (Minnesota Statutes, sections. 62J.50 to 62J.61). The AUC Strategic Steering Committee, Operations Committee, Executive Committee, all Technical Advisory Groups, and Work Groups will comply with all applicable antitrust laws during the course of their activities.

The AUC wishes to prevent any situation from which even the appearance of collusion or anti-competitive activity, can be fairly inferred. Therefore, all AUC members are reminded that any action taken to eliminate, restrict, or govern competition among members may be a violation of antitrust laws. Accordingly, at AUC meetings discussion of prices of products, supplies or services is prohibited. Similarly, there must be no discussion of member company or organization operations that might influence pricing, such as, allowances, discounts, terms of sale, margins, operations costs or marketing strategies, that might lead to agreements on customer, geographic or product market allocations; or that might be seen as encouraging a boycott of any person.

Each AUC member is expected to conduct business independently and free from any understandings or agreements or other conduct which may restrain competition. Further, each participant is obligated to speak up immediately to stop any discussion falling outside these bounds.

If you have any questions or antitrust concerns related to the AUC, consult with your legal counsel.

The AUC welcomes new members to actively participate and help us work toward standardized administrative processes. The AUC is made up of an Executive Committee, an Operations Committee, and various Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs). Members must appoint two individuals from their organization to serve on the Operations Committee. The AUC Executive Committee consists of payer representative(s) and provider representative(s) who volunteer to serve for a minimum of two years, in an alternating role as chair. Members are also expected to actively participate in various TAGs by appointing at least two individuals from their organization to join in the work.

If you are considering becoming a member, please review the membership criteria in the Mission Statement, History and Governing Principles (PDF) for each TAG and attend an Operations Committee meeting. Prospective member organizations that meet membership criteria can request membership by e-mailing health.auc@state.mn.us. New AUC members are voted on by the Operations Committee.

• Aetna
• Aging Services of Minnesota
• Allina Hospitals and Clinics
• American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
• Care Providers of Minnesota
• CentraCare Health
• Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
• CVS Pharmacy
• Delta Dental Plan of Minnesota
• Essentia Health
• Fairview Health Services
• Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital
• HealthEast
• HealthEZ
• HealthPartners
• Hennepin County Medical Center
• Mayo Clinic
• Medica
• Metropolitan Health Plan
• Minnesota Chiropractic Association
• Minnesota Council of Health Plans
• Minnesota Dental Association
• Minnesota Department of Health
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• Minnesota HomeCare Association
• Minnesota Hospital Association
• Minnesota Medical Association
• Minnesota Medical Group Management Association
• Minnesota Pharmacist Association
• Olmsted Medical Center
• Park Nicollet Health Services
• PrairieCare
• PreferredOne
• PrimeWest Health
• Ridgeview Medical Center
• Sanford Health
• Sanford Health Plan
• Silverscript
• South Country Health Alliance
• St. Luke's
• UCare Minnesota
• UnitedHealth Group
• University of Minnesota Physicians
• WPS Health Insurance Corporation

As part of the of the Health Care Administrative Simplification Act (ASA) of 1994, the Minnesota Department of Health's (MDH) Center for Health Information Policy and Transformation (CHIPT) develops and implements rules (i.e., Minnesota uniform companion guides) for the standard, electronic exchange of health care administrative transactions pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 62J.536 and related rules. This work is being undertaken in consultation with the AUC.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) published a notice in the November 13, 2023 (Volume 48, Number 20) edition of the Minnesota State Register announcing it is accepting oral and written comments regarding: the effectiveness and continuing need for the rulemaking procedures set out in Minnesota Statutes, section 62J.61, subdivision 2; and the quality and effectiveness of rules adopted using these procedures.

The rulemaking procedures in section 62J.61 are used for proposing and adopting rules for the standard, electronic exchange of health care administrative transactions pursuant to section 62J.536.

Oral and written comments will be accepted until 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 13, 2023. MDH will also conduct a virtual meeting 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 13, 2023, to receive oral comments about the rulemaking procedures in section 62J.61.

More information regarding the biennial review, the virtual meeting, and submitting written comments can be found in the November 13, 2023 Minnesota State Register announcement.

Please note the status updates below regarding proposed revised Minnesota Uniform Companion Guides (MUCG). The MUCG are required pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 62J.536.

• MUCG for the Implementation of the ASC X12/005010X222A1 Health Care Claim: Professional (837), version 17.0 (PDF)
• MUCG for the Implementation of the ASC X12/005010X223A2 Health Care Claim: Institutional (837), version 17.0 (PDF)

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) published a notice in the June 12, 2023 edition of the Minnesota State Register announcing the availability of the above referenced Minnesota Uniform Companion Guide (MUCG) proposed rules and the start of a 30-day public comment period. The public comment period concluded July 12, 2023. No comments were received.

• MUCG for the Implementation of the ASC X12/005010X279A1 Health Care Eligibility Benefit Inquiry and Response (270/271), version 13.0 (PDF)

MDH published a notice in the July 17, 2023 edition of the Minnesota State Register announcing the availability of the above referenced MUCG proposed rule and the start of a 30-day public comment period. The public comment period concluded August 16, 2023. No comments were received.

MDH will be submitting copies of the proposed revised MUCGs to X12 for review pursuant to X12’s Intellectual Property (IP) Use guidelines. Following completion of the review, MDH will complete the process of adopting the proposed rules as final rules pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 62J.61. The final rules will be published in the Minnesota State Register at a future date to be determined. MDH will also announce the publication of the final rules in future AUC updates.

For additional background and information, please see the Health Care Administrative Simplification webpage.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) published a notice in the Minnesota State Register announcing the availability of the following Minnesota Uniform Companion Guide (MUCG) proposed rule for public comment:

• MUCG for the Implementation of the ASC X12/005010X279A1 Health Care Eligibility Benefit Inquiry and Response (270/271), version 13.0 (PDF)

The proposed rule was developed in consultation with the Minnesota Administrative Uniformity Committee (AUC). More information regarding the proposed rule is available in the July 17, 2023 Minnesota State Register notice, Volume 48, No. 3.

Written comments regarding the proposed rule will be accepted during a 30-day public comment period beginning Monday, July 17, 2023 until 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 16, 2023. All comments must be submitted via the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) Rulemaking e-comments website.

We are changing the way you receive AUC communications and updates by moving the majority of AUC and related communications to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) “GovDelivery” subscription feature. The change is being made to enable you to choose the types of information you would like to receive and to easily change your preferences. If you were already subscribed to AUC Update via GovDelivery you should have already received information about this transition.

Please note that if you do not subscribe with GovDelivery you will not receive updates regarding AUC Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meetings, proposed or adopted Minnesota Uniform Companion Guides (MUCG), and other related information.

If you were not already subscribed to receive AUC Update or if you want to change your preferences, go to Subscribe to AUC Updates and follow the directions for setting up an account. To modify your subscriptions choose, Subscriber Preferences and/or Add Subscriptions. You will have the ability as desired to sign up – or unsubscribe – for the following options:

General AUC Updates

• News & Information Updates News and information of general interest, including announcements regarding the AUC Operations Committee, and Minnesota Department of Health rulemaking.

Individual Technical Advisory Groups (TAG)

• AUC Claims DD TAG Updates This workgroup focuses primarily on exchange of electronic health care claims (X12 v5010 “837 Dental, 837 Institutional, 837 Professional” and NCPDP D.0 Pharmacy Claim Submission and Response and Pharmacy Reversal Submission and Response).
• AUC Eligibility TAG Updates This workgroup focuses primarily on exchange of electronic health care eligibility inquiries and responses (X12 v5010 “270-21”).
• AUC EOB/Remit TAG Updates This workgroup focuses primarily on exchange of electronic health care remittance advices (X12 v5010 “835”).
• AUC Medical Code TAG Updates This workgroup focuses primarily on medical coding issues in the context of the exchange of electronic health care claims (X12 v5010 “837 Dental, 837 Institutional, 837 Professional”).

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) published a notice in the Minnesota State Register announcing the availability of the following Minnesota Uniform Companion Guide (MUCG) proposed rules for public comment:

• MUCG for the Implementation of the ASC X12/005010X222A1 Health Care Claim: Professional (837), version 17.0 (PDF)
• MUCG for the Implementation of the ASC X12/005010X223A2 Health Care Claim: Institutional (837), version 17.0 (PDF)

The proposed rules were developed in consultation with the Minnesota Administrative Uniformity Committee (AUC). More information regarding the proposed rules is available in the June 12, 2023 Minnesota State Register notice, Volume 47, No. 50.

Written comments regarding the proposed rules will be accepted during a 30-day public comment period beginning Monday, June 12, 2023 until 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, 2023. All comments must be submitted via the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) Rulemaking e-comments website.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) published a notice in Minnesota State Register announcing a statutorily authorized limited exception from Minnesota’s requirements for the standard, electronic exchange of Eligibility (270/271) transactions for group purchasers (payers) not subject to federal HIPAA transactions and code sets regulations (PDF) is continued through June 30, 2024.

This exception applies only to exchanges of the ASCX12/005010X279A1 Health Care Eligibility Benefit Inquiry and Response (270/271) transaction with health care group purchasers (payers) that are not subject to federal HIPAA transactions and code sets regulations, and only through June 30, 2024. The exception applies to workers’ compensation, auto, and property and casualty carriers.

More information regarding the limited exception is available in the June 12, 2023 Minnesota State Register notice, Volume 47, No. 50.

The limited, one-year exception is reviewed annually. The next annual review of this exception to rules adopted pursuant to Minnesota Statutes §62J.536 is scheduled for April-May 2024, to determine whether the exception will be continued through June 2025.