I do not believe that my posting blames anything on HIPAA or the state laws for that matter. The entire purpose of my referencing the state laws in my response was to offer some explanation for why the social security numbers are being removed from ID cards and maybe the CSR was misinformed. Nor does my response imply that because the use of social security numbers are prohibited that insurers couldn't assign a unique identifier to the insured. Rachel you are correct, "this legislation was not passed overnight in the blink of an eye" however you should also note that although the effective date of the law is July 2002 the actual compliance date varies with different circumstances. Nor was I offering excuses for these insurers. However this isn't even the point.
I was trying to point out a possible solution to the poster on how to get the information she needed to submit claims. Taking an adversarial approach as was suggested rarely solves anything. To use your word Rachel I am nauseated. Nauseated by the constant suggestions that the insurance industry is always trying to find ways to place "new barriers to doing business and providing appropriate customer service." As I stated in my earlier email I have been in this business a long time and have never worked for any insurer that had as its goal to provide "crappy" customer service. As a matter-of-fact the companies I have been associated with have all made customer service a top priority. To imply such is an insult to those of us in this industry that strive on a daily basis to provide superior customer service. Maybe, just maybe, the customer service representatives were not properly trained. By contacting the supervisor or claim manager the provider office could obtain the information they needed and help the insurer appropriately train the CSR so that they do not provide "crappy" customer service in the future. > -----Original Message----- > From: Doug Webb [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2003 9:00 AM > To: WEDI SNIP Transactions Workgroup List > Subject: Re: Insurance cards with no Insured ID > > Amen, Rachel! > A restrictive business practice is just that -- a restrictive BUSINESS > PRACTICE. > To blame such obstructions on HIPAA is just plain lying. > > The opinions expressed here are my own and not necessarily the opinion of > LCMH. > > Douglas M. Webb > Computer System Engineer > Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers > [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > "This electronic message may contain information that is confidential > and/or legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the > individual(s) and entity(s) named as recipients in the message. If you > are not an intended recipient of the message, please notify the sender > immediately, delete the material from any computer, do not deliver, > distribute, or copy this message, and do not disclose its contents or take > action in reliance on the information it contains. Thank you." > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Rachel Foerster <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: WEDI SNIP Transactions Workgroup List > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 03:23 PM > Subject: RE: Insurance cards with no Insured ID > > Valeta, simply because California (and perhaps other states) have passed > legislation prohibiting the use of the SSN doesn't mean that an insurance > company can't assign some other unique identifier to each insured. Using > this legislation as a basis for not assigning an insured identifier is > also > bogus. > > This legislation wasn't passed overnight in the blink of an eye. Insurers > knew this was coming for months if not longer. They've had ample time to > prepare for using/assigning other insured identifiers and providing those > insureds with insurance cards with appropriate information so that claims > can be submitted. It's irrelevant whether it's the provider or the insured > submitting the claim; either party must know the insured's identifier to > do > so. > > This is just plain bogus and crap! I am so nauseus of covered entities > hiding behind HIPAA to place new barriers to doing business and providing > appropriate customer service. > > Rachel > Rachel Foerster > Chief Executive Officer > Rachel Foerster & Associates, Ltd. > Ideas - Products - Innovation > 39432 North Avenue > Beach Park, IL 60099 > Voice: 847-872-8070 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <http://www.rfa-edi.com> > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Valeta Barger [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 9:48 AM > To: WEDI SNIP Transactions Workgroup List > Subject: RE: Insurance cards with no Insured ID > > > Doug, > > I agree that blaming HIPAA is bogus, however California passed > legislation, > I believe in July 2002, that prohibits the use of social security numbers > on > correspondence, including insurance ID cards. Since most, not all, > insurers > have traditionally used the SS# as the ID number this has required a > massive > change in business for insurers. You should also note that Utah has also > passed similar legislation. I agree the response from the insurer is > unacceptable. I would contact the claim manager at the payer to obtain > the > needed information and report the incompetent employee that provided the > answer. I also think some of the responsibility falls upon the patient > (consumer). If the consumer wishes the provider to bill their insurance > company on their behalf the consumer most certainly should ensure that > they > can supply the needed information to the provider. It is inconceivable to > me that any consumer would purchase a product that requires ID numbers in > order to use the product and not demand this information from the company. > That's like obtaining a credit card but not being provided the number so > that you can utilize the card. Also after having worked in the insurance > industry for 20 years I find that this business is just like any other > business. There are good and bad companies that employee good and bad > staff. It has been my experience that most insurers wouldn't respond with > "You can't do that!" but if approached would work to correct the problem. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Doug Webb [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 10:05 AM > > To: WEDI SNIP Transactions Workgroup List > > Subject: Re: Insurance cards with no Insured ID > > > > Susan, > > 1) Blaming HIPAA for this fiasco is totally bogus. > > > > 2) "I dunno" is a totally unacceptable response from the insurance > > company. > > > > 3) If you can't get a vaild insurance ID, you can't file a claim. A > > 270 query MAY reval the proper information. You shouldn't have to do > > so to get a valid ID. Bill the patient. Inform the the insurance > > company that you will do this, and will give the patient X days to pay > > before being referred to your collector. The insurance company will > > probably respond "You can't do that!"; you can respond "We can and > > will if you don't clean up your act!" > > > > The opinions expressed here are my own and not necessarily the opinion > > of LCMH. > > > > Douglas M. Webb > > Computer System Engineer > > Little Company of Mary Hospital & Health Care Centers [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > < <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Susan Hollabaugh < <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > > To: WEDI SNIP Transactions Workgroup List > > < <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > > Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 07:17 AM > > Subject: Insurance cards with no Insured ID > > > > We have begun receive patients in our California Imaging Centers who > > present Insurance cards with no Insured ID. > > > > Here is the experience as reported from our Director in the region: > > > > "One Health Plan and Aetna are issuing new insurance cards without the > > Insurance Identification Number. I called both insurances to ask why, > > and was told, "HIPAA". Both are in the process of issuing new cards to > > ALL members > > > > So I asked, the patient, "what is your Insurance ID number?". "I > > dunno" , was the answer > > > > So I asked the insurance companies, "are we to assume that the ID > > number is the social security number?" "I dunno" , was the answer. > > They would not provide me with the ID number." > > > > How are we going to bill a patient's insurance company under these > > circumstances? How are others dealing with this situation? Will this > > necessitate Eligibility verification? Could we find the information > > that we need that way? If this extends throughout the market, it will > > be a nightmare > > for providers. > > > > EDI Project Manager > > 8754 Dunstable Loop > > Bristow, VA 20136 > > (703) 369-5775 > > > --- > 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/>. These listservs should not be used for > commercial marketing purposes or discussion of specific vendor products > and services. They also are not intended to be used as a forum for > personal disagreements or unprofessional communication at any time. > > You are currently subscribed to wedi-transactions as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To unsubscribe from this list, go to the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at > <http://subscribe.wedi.org> or send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > If you need to unsubscribe but your current email address is not the same > as the address subscribed to the list, please use the > Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at <http://subscribe.wedi.org> > > --- > 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/. These listservs should not be used for > commercial marketing purposes or discussion of specific vendor products > and services. They also are not intended to be used as a forum for > personal disagreements or unprofessional communication at any time. > > You are currently subscribed to wedi-transactions as: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe from this list, go to the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at > http://subscribe.wedi.org or send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > If you need to unsubscribe but your current email address is not the same > as the address subscribed to the list, please use the > Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at http://subscribe.wedi.org --- 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/. These listservs should not be used for commercial marketing purposes or discussion of specific vendor products and services. They also are not intended to be used as a forum for personal disagreements or unprofessional communication at any time. You are currently subscribed to wedi-transactions as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from this list, go to the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at http://subscribe.wedi.org or send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you need to unsubscribe but your current email address is not the same as the address subscribed to the list, please use the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at http://subscribe.wedi.org
