HHS and CMS issued an interim final rule (pdf), in which HHS will adopt operating rules for electronic funds transfers, electronic remittance advice transactions and other HIPAA administrative tasks.
"These new rules will cut red tape, save money and ensure doctors spend more time seeing patients and less time filling out forms," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a news release.
CMS estimates EFT and ERA standards could save hospitals, physicians, the government and other healthcare stakeholders more than $9 billion in administrative costs and more than 800,000 pounds of paper over the next decade.
Streamlining healthcare administrative transactions takes on several different forms. For example, there would be a standard unique identifier for health plans, a standard for claims attachments and a general push for hospitals, physicians and health plans to receive and submit health transactions online or electronically.
The interim final rule will be published in the Federal Register Aug. 10, and comments for the interim final rule are due Oct. 9.
"These new rules will cut red tape, save money and ensure doctors spend more time seeing patients and less time filling out forms," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a news release.
CMS estimates EFT and ERA standards could save hospitals, physicians, the government and other healthcare stakeholders more than $9 billion in administrative costs and more than 800,000 pounds of paper over the next decade.
Streamlining healthcare administrative transactions takes on several different forms. For example, there would be a standard unique identifier for health plans, a standard for claims attachments and a general push for hospitals, physicians and health plans to receive and submit health transactions online or electronically.
The interim final rule will be published in the Federal Register Aug. 10, and comments for the interim final rule are due Oct. 9.
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