Don’t let scare tactics fool
you…
Many software vendors and their resellers will attempt to use HIPAA as a
scare tactic in order to get you to buy their software. What they often do
not inform you is that HIPAA compliance can often be achieved without new
software, and it is still possible to not be compliant even if you buy new
software.
The HIPAA legislation has many parts to it, chiefly patient confidentiality,
and electronic claims standardization. Most of what you, as a “Covered
Entity” (anyone who has access to patient confidential information
is considered a covered entity) have to do in order to be compliant has to
do with office procedures. This includes making sure that people cannot see
confidential medical information about patients, such as which direction
your monitors are facing, where you keep your charts, and what you yell out
in the waiting room! (“Hey Lois, how’s that embarrassing rash
doing!” for example, while never appropriate, is now officially against
the law).
That being said, Stephens & Associates is well equipped to offer our
consulting services to help you implement the software and office policies
necessary to be compliant, even if that software is already sitting on your
computer!
HIPAA compliance with patient confidentiality
HIPAA compliance for patient confidentiality
stretches far beyond just software. No software can make you
HIPAA compliant, but choosing the wrong software can make it
harder for you to comply. Stephens & Associates only sells
and supports software that allows you to maintain confidential
patient health information with confidence. All of our systems
have the necessary security features to assure that this sensitive
information stays private. This includes features such as auto-logoff
(which closes your practice management screen after a pre-set
number of minutes) password protection, data file encryption,
patient access logs and even standard HIPAA forms such as external
records request forms, patient record amendment requests, and
many more .
HIPAA compliance with electronic claims
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act of 1996 also had “Administrative Simplification” provisions
which, among other things, called for standardization on the
way in which you send electronic claims. When you send paper
claims, you send them on a standard HCFA 1500 or UB92 claim form.
Imagine, however, if you had a different form for each insurance
company that you had to send paper claims to. Imagine if Blue
Cross had the Blue Cross form 410, and Medicare had the MCR form
2G, and none of these forms were alike. Before HIPAA that is
exactly what it was like to send electronic claims. Each carrier
literally made up the format in which they would electronically
receive claims. The HIPAA legislation put a stop to all of this
by mandating the use of specific ANSI formats for all carriers.
The ANSI format, however, was markedly
different than many of the formats that carriers, clearinghouses,
and other software vendors had been using for years. As a result,
many software companies, clearinghouses, and carriers had a steep
learning curve in order to get all of the glitches out of the
process of using this new format. Stephens & Associates has
lead the charge for compliance in the area of electronic claims,
and with our own Validator program, we have been at the forefront
of this new technology.
Our Stephens & Associates Validator program has been HIPAA compliant
since 2001, and while most clearinghouses and vendors are just NOW switching
to this new format, our vast experience gives you a clear advantage when
it comes to submitting claims in a HIPAA compliant format. Most of these
companies who have waited until the last moment to switch over are experiencing
major problems due to the immaturity of their programs. Stephens & Associates
has over 300 clients happily submitting problem free in this new format,
and has been certified HIPAA compliant in over 23 states. Before you become
some other company’s beta tester, consider asking them the following
questions:
1. How long has your software been HIPAA compliant?
2. How many carriers are you listed as an approved vendor with?
3. What are the typical problems you have implementing this software (unfortunately,
you may not get an accurate answer here)?
4. How many people are using this software without any problems?
