This is my personal opinion only, but I am really struggling with this idea...
The transactions and code sets standards have enormous impact on payers, clearinghouses and providers....and the ROI that seemingly was supposed to be forthcoming was based on "standardization" which we will all know by now is more like "similar, but different"....and the group put in charge of watchdogging standardization is the biggest payer of them all? If all three groups, payers, clearinghouses and providers are so impacted, why aren't they all represented on the "watchdog" group? Mimi Hart ӿ�* Research Analyst, HIPAA Iowa Health System 319-369-7767 (phone) 319-369-8365 (fax) 319-490-0637 (pager) [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/16/02 12:24PM >>> Anyone wonder how CMS will police itself? Mr. King-Shaw is also on record as saying at last year's HIPAA summit, when pondering the question of who would be the TCS enforcer, "I say anybody but us. We have enough problems with HIPAA as it is." Theresa Defino Editor Practical Guidance on HIPAA and E-Health For the Physician Practice 301-738-3721 In a message dated 10/15/2002 8:12:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > Subj:FW: [HHSPRESS] HHS RELEASE--HIPAA STANDARDS > Date:10/15/2002 8:12:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time > From:<A HREF="mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]";>[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> > Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]";>[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> > To:<A HREF="mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]";>[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> > Sent from the Internet > > > > FYI > > David Frenkel > Business Development > GEFEG USA > Global Leader in Ecommerce Tools > www.gefeg.com > 425-260-5030 > > -----Original Message----- > From: US Dept of HHS: Press Releases, Other Info > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Henneghan, Martha (HHS/OS) > Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002 11:35 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [HHSPRESS] HHS RELEASE--HIPAA STANDARDS > > Date: October 15, 2002 > For Release: Immediately > Contact: CMS Press Office > (202) 690-6145 > > > Headline: CMS NAMED TO ENFORCE HIPAA TRANSACTION AND CODE SET STANDARDS > HHS Office for Civil Rights To Continue To Enforce Privacy Standards > > HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced today that the Centers for > Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be responsible for enforcing the > transaction and code set standards that are part of the administrative > simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and > Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). > > "HIPAA administrative simplification is going to streamline and > standardize > the electronic filing and processing of health insurance claims, save > money > and provide better service for providers, insurers and patients," > Thompson > said. > > "To accomplish this will require an enforcement operation that will > assure > compliance and provide support for those who file and process health > care > claims and other transactions," Thompson said. "CMS is the agency best > able > to do this." > > CMS will continue to enforce the insurance portability requirements of > HIPAA. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will enforce the HIPAA > privacy > standards. CMS and OCR will work together on outreach and enforcement > and > on issues that touch on the responsibilities of both organizations - > such as > application of security standards or exception determinations. > > Ruben J. King-Shaw Jr., CMS deputy administrator and chief operating > officer, said CMS will create a new office to bring together its > responsibilities under HIPAA, including enforcement. > > "Concentrating these CMS responsibilities in a new office with a single > mission will give us the most efficient operation possible, while > providing > strong support for all our partners in the health care community," > King-Shaw > said. > > The new CMS office will establish and operate enforcement processes and > develop regulations related to the HIPAA standards for which CMS is > responsible. These standards include transactions and code sets, > security, > and identifiers for providers, insurers and employers for use in > electronic > transactions. The office will report directly to the deputy > administrator. > > The office also will conduct outreach activities to HIPAA covered > entities > such as health care providers and insurers to make sure they are aware > of > the requirements and to help them comply. > > Federal law requires most health plans, clearing houses, and those > providers > that conduct certain transactions electronically to be compliant with > the > HIPAA transactions standards by Oct. 16, 2002, unless they file on or > before > Oct. 15 for a one-year extension. Those who are not compliant and have > not > filed for the extension may be subject to statutory penalties. > (The law gives certain small health plans until Oct. 16, 2003 to > comply). > > Enforcement activities will focus on obtaining voluntary compliance > through > technical assistance. The process will be primarily complaint driven > and > will consist of progressive steps that will provide opportunities to > demonstrate compliance or submit a corrective action plan. > ********************************************************************** To be removed from this list, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that it may take up to 72 hours to process your request. ====================================================== 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/. 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