Which federal legislation requires all code sets to be valid at the time services are provided?

The correct answer relates to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA), which was enacted in 2003. This legislation introduced significant changes to Medicare, including updates regarding how codes for diagnoses and procedures are used in the billing process. One of the key aspects of the MMA is the requirement for code sets to be valid at the time services are provided. This means that healthcare providers must use the most current coding systems, ensuring that all reimbursement claims are based on accurate and timely data, which helps in maintaining the integrity of the billing process.

Additionally, while OBRA, ACA, and TEFRA are important pieces of legislation that address various aspects of healthcare, they do not specifically impose the requirement for code sets to be valid upon the provision of services in the same way that the MMA does.