The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed and maintains tools to support hospitals in meeting some of the machine-readable file (MRF) requirements for Hospital Price Transparency.
The online validator tests machine readable files against the required CMS template layouts and data specifications (45 CFR 180.50(c)(2)). The online validator runs in a user’s web browser, and it is recommended for nontechnical users.
The command-line interface (CLI) validator tests machine readable files against the required CMS template layouts and data specifications (45 CFR 180.50(c)(2)). The CLI is a downloaded tool that runs locally in the user’s terminal, and it is recommended for technically proficient users validating multiple files simultaneously or integrating the validator into a software pipeline.
The MRF naming wizard assists users in generating the MRF file name in accordance with the naming convention requirements (45 CFR 180.50(d)(5)).
The TXT file generator assists users in generating a TXT file with the required attributes of information to improve accessibility to MRFs (45 CFR 180.50 (d)(6)(i)).
