| Are you a covered entity with regard to the Transactions Rule? |
| Visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/hipaa/hipaa2/support/tools/decisionsupport/default.asp for a number of HIPAA Covered Entity Decision Tools. Transaction Rule Guide Now Available On www.APApractice.org |
| The APA Practice Organization has been working to provide practitioners with information about the HIPAA Transaction Rule. |
| A new publication, "Getting Ready of HIPAA: A Psychologist's Guide to the Transaction Rule," is now available on www.APApractice.org. |
| Not sure if you are required to follow the new HIPAA regulations? |
| Go to the CMS web site and read "Are you a covered entity?" and try out the "Covered Entity Decision Tool." |
| For more information on HIPAA, please refer to the following resources: www.apait.org Site of the American Psychological Association Insurance Trust, information is available to APAIT insureds. www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa Visit the Department of Health and Human Services for answers to commonly asked questions on the HIPAA Privacy Rule. |
| A quick note to let you know that practitioners will be receiving a copy of "Getting Ready for HIPAA: The Psychologist's Guide to the Transaction Rule" in the mail in August. This is part of a series of resources developed by the APA Practice Organization to help practitioners understand and comply with HIPAA regulations. |
| The purpose of the guide is to explain what you need to know about the HIPAA Transaction Rule. Specifically tailored for practicing psychologists, the guide covers the basic elements of the rule including information about potential compliance solutions. |
| The deadline for compliance with the transaction rule is October 16, 2003. The Transaction Rule is heavily focused on the technicalities of specified administrative and financial transactions , such as electronic claims submissions and, in short, requires the use of standard formats whenever health care transactions such as claims are sent or received electronically. Therefore, to be in compliance, practitioners who submit claims electronically or who engage in the other specified electronic transactions will either need to use some form of software or a healthcare clearinghouse to convert information and data into the required format. |
| We are working to provide practitioners with clear information about the Transaction Rule and to identify compliance solutions available to you. To that end, we are in the midst of an ongoing effort to identify electronic claims solutions that meet the needs of practicing psychologists, many of whom submit a small number of claims per month and require a service that is cost-effective, easy to use and offers solid customer support. More information about electronic claims solutions will be available on the APA Practice Organization's portal, www.apapractice.org beginning in mid-August. |
| Getting Ready for HIPAA: The Psychologist's Guide to the Transaction Rule" is being sent to all APA special assessment payers in August and will also be available on APApractice.org. Should you have any questions, please email HIPAA@apa.org. |
| Thank you. |
| Emily Leary |
| Administrative Assistant, State Advocacy Office |
| American Psychological Association |
| 750 First Street, NE |
| Washington, DC 20002 |
| (202) 336-5864 |
| (202) 336-5797 (fax) |
| eleary@apa.org |