A future NPRM will likely include a specific HL7 message embedded within an X12 275 for claims attachments. Draft implementation guides are available from WPC. When that gets through the NPRM process and becomes a regulation, then there will be some usage of HL7 mandated under HIPAA. So, if you are now doing certain claims attachments in HL7 (the most likely would be lab results or dictated reports) then you would have to change over to a somewhat different format in the future. Some might predict that this could become mandatory as early as Q2 2005, others would say it will take longer.
X12 is considering doing implementation guides following a similar approach for other transactions that require a mixture of payer-administrative and clinical data. Those would be even further out. If X12N goes ahead with its plans there would be an NPRM, a comment period, a final rule and then 26 months before the change became mandatory. (At least hypothetically, voluntary usage could happen sooner.) Other than those uses developed jointly with X12, HL7 has been careful not to offer messages for the specific HIPAA-mandated business functions within the US. If you are using HL7 for other purposes, it is likely not to come under the purview of the current HIPAA regulations, so you would not be forced to change. Various government agencies have programs in place or messages in development for using HL7 to submit data for public health, quality improvement, and adverse drug reactions. For example, CDC is using HL7 messages as part of its NEDSS architecture for expedited sending reportable disease information to state public health agencies. To the extent that you are already using HL7, you will find that you can leverage your experience should these other initiatives somehow impact your health plan. Increasingly the vendors of mappers targeted for the payer market are including HL7 mapping in their product. Wes Rishel Board Chair, Health Level 7 Vice President, Research Director Gartner Research, Healthcare Alameda, CA 510 522 8135 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: Thenn [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 11:37 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: HL7 Standards Just we got into HIPAA/EDI development. I have a basic question. While we develop HIPAA transactions, we also want to HL7 transactions with one of our trading partners. My question is, Should any HL7 transactions that we do with our trading partners be covered under HIPAA even it becomes effective? As per HIPAA final rule, only X12 and NCPDP transactions are considered as HIPAA transactions.What about privacy rule? Will it be also applied for HL7 transactions? Thanks, Thennarasu S. 707.863.4221 To be removed from this list, go to: http://snip.wedi.org/unsubscribe.cfm?list=business and enter your email address. The WEDI SNIP listserv to which you are subscribed is not moderated. The discussions on this listserv therefore represent the views of the individual participants, and do not necessarily represent the views of the WEDI Board of Directors nor WEDI SNIP. If you wish to receive an official opinion, post your question to the WEDI SNIP Issues Database at http://snip.wedi.org/tracking/. Posting of advertisements or other commercial use of this listserv is specifically prohibited.
