diff --git a/healthcareio/x12/__init__.py b/healthcareio/x12/__init__.py
index 21323b5..fbbfe2a 100644
--- a/healthcareio/x12/__init__.py
+++ b/healthcareio/x12/__init__.py
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ class Parser (Process):
                     schema = {"properties":{}}
                     for attr in claim.keys() :
                         schema['properties'][attr]  = {"mergeStrategy": "append" if type(claim[attr]) == list else "overwrite" }                    
-                    
+                    merger = jsonmerge.Merger(schema)    
                     _baseclaim = None
                     _baseclaim = merger.merge(_baseclaim,copy.deepcopy(DEFAULT_VALUE))
                     claim = merger.merge(_baseclaim,claim)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 60fb007..ccf3a10 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import sys
 def read(fname):
     return open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), fname)).read() 
 args = {
-    "name":"healthcareio","version":"1.6.2.24",
+    "name":"healthcareio","version":"1.6.3.0",
     "author":"Vanderbilt University Medical Center",
     "author_email":"steve.l.nyemba@vumc.org",
     "include_package_data":True,