Association testifies on HIPAA transaction standards
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Posted Aug. 23, 2007 |
By Craig Palmer Washington—Association testimony to a government advisory panel cited potential benefits for dentists and patients from HIPAA transaction standards but "some concerns" with the standards-making process.
"The ADA believes there is room for improvement in the development process for such standards," Dr. Robert H. Ahlstrom told the standards and security subcommittee of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics. "One example that was discussed is the inability to correct the guides in a timely fashion."
The Association participates in the standards-setting process through the Division of Dental Practice and Office of Standards to ensure that the interests of the profession are incorporated into health-related standards. The Department of Health and Human Services advisory panel invited the Association testimony at a July 31 hearing on migration from the current HIPAA transactions for electronic claims to a proposed revised version of the HIPAA standards.
Dr. Ahlstrom, representing the ADA at the hearing, cited as potential benefits to dentists and patients from standards developed under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, more commonly short-handed to HIPAA:
- dental office computer systems will be compatible with those of hospitals and health plans and referral inquiries handled easily;
- vendors will be able to supply low-cost software solutions to physicians and dentists who support standards-based electronic data interchange;
- administrative tasks can be accomplished electronically and dentists will have more time to devote to direct care;
- dentists will have a more complete data set of the patient in their care;
- patients seeking information on enrollment status and benefits will receive more accurate, complete and easier to read information;
- consumer documents will be more uniform and easier to read;
- provider and plan cost savings will translate to less costly health care;
- patient claims follow-up costs will be reduced;
- patients will be able to see the information in their medical and dental records and who has accessed those records; patient records will be adequately protected through organizational policies and technical security controls;
- patient visits to dentists and other providers will be shorter without the burden of paper forms and consumer claims correspondence with insurers reduced.
The Association offered several recommendations for improving the standards-setting process and responded to a series of questions from the HHS advisory panel. Dr. Ahlstrom is a practicing prosthodontist in Reno, Nev.
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