MRF ERROR GUIDE
Common Hospital MRF Validation Errors and How to Triage Them
MRF validation errors are easiest to resolve when grouped by root cause instead of handled line by line. Begin with blockers that can invalidate large parts of the file.
Start with structural blockers
Parsing, encoding, header, and schema-version problems can produce hundreds of secondary errors. Resolve them before reviewing individual charge records.
- Invalid JSON or malformed CSV
- Incorrect or unsupported version
- Missing required root-level attributes
- Headers that do not match the selected CMS template
Then review field rules
CMS data dictionaries specify required types, valid values, positivity rules, and conditional relationships.
- Numeric values encoded as formatted currency
- Zero or negative values where positive numbers are required
- Required conditionals omitted
- Placeholder text left in template fields
- Mismatched code and code-type values
Separate deficiencies from judgment
A technical deficiency can be reproduced against a published rule. Questions about calculation methods, source completeness, and legal applicability require the appropriate hospital owners and advisers.