Be ye forewarned: this message is a bit different than my usual ones.


Since HIPAA came into being, many of us have worked long and hard to
inform the provider community of their rights and obligations under
HIPAA; particularly for the Identifiers, Transactions and Code Sets
(TCS). While our successes have been encouraging, recent surveys,
testimonies, and other commentaries indicate that there are many
provider organizations, particularly smaller ones, that still don't seem
to be getting the word. And many of those that are aren't really sure
exactly what they should be doing -- particularly in coordinating their
needs and status with their patients' health plans, and any other
trading partners and business associates.

The challenge in reaching these providers is one of both volume and
time. The ratio of competent educators to potentially needy recipients
is just too low. Moreover, the large number of potential recipients
mostly don't have time to gather at predetermined locations and times to
hear the word. Mostly, in fact, they just don't have much time ...
period.

One of my clients and I were talking about this a couple of months ago.
This client sells HIPAA compliance project management software -- with
capabilities and prices geared for moderate to large providers. As we
chatted, I explained our community's challenge and the company took it
on.

The result is now available for your review. It's multifaceted:
-- a full audio - visual presentation that is
- short [less than 40 minutes]
- available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- accessible on the web to anybody
- free to all viewers; sponsor is paying
-- educational
- summarizes provider HIPAA TCS obligations
- describes current provider realities
- outlines a provider compliance technique
-- solution based [it's not enough to just show the problems!]
- lists two of the sponsoring company's products
- provides a live demonstration of the smaller one;
which can be employed by smaller providers or divisions,
and is inexpensive [money and time] to acquire, install, and
use.

Note that a presentation and tools such as these can't be done for free.
It takes somebody with bucks to sponsor and support them. In exchange,
their products get highlighted. There may be other vendors that can
also support providers in managing their HIPAA TCS compliance
activities, and that's fine, too. Feel free to let me know and I'll be
pleased to work with them as well if they wish to get their word out.
In the meantime, when you get three quarters of an hour, click on the
link below, enter the requested information [no password needed], and
then click on the Microsoft Office Live Meeting Replay mode.

http://www102.placeware.com/cc/complyassistant/view?id=J8RNMB

Once you've completed the show, I'd welcome any feedback. This is
definitely an experiment in reaching, informing, and assisting providers
of all sizes (e.g., Integrated Delivery Networks, institutions, group
and multi-practices, sole practitioners) with their HIPAA TCS compliance
activities; although my biggest hope is that it will allow small
providers -- as characterized in the presentation -- to expeditiously
move forward. And if you believe we've hit a mark, do feel free to
pass this message along to others whom you think might also benefit.

With thanks in advance ...

Dave Feinberg
Rensis Corporation [A Consulting Company]
206-617-1717
DAFeinberg@...
Author of "Understanding HIPAA Communications"

P.S. Since the above presentation was recorded [last Friday], CMS'
virtually simultaneous announcement of their plan to slow down payments
for non-HIPAA-compliant Medicare claims [see attachment with my
highlighting] reinforces the need for providers to get moving on their
own compliance / contingency plans as rapidly as possible -- for all
payers. As noted in CMS' 7/24/2003 TCS guidance:
"CMS will not impose penalties on covered entities that deploy
contingencies in order to ensure the smooth flow of payments."
...
"To avoid that period of lost revenue providers must make payers
aware of this flexibility and inform their payers of the existence
of their own contingency."

DAF

P.P.S. Busy week so far, eh? Note that I'm going to be traveling a
lot over the next month, and access to e-mail, and sometimes voice mail,
may be sporadic; as will time to answer. Paying clients will rightfully
get priority. So, if you write or telephone and I don't respond very
rapidly, please don't think I'm ignoring you. I'm just running ...
behind.

DAF again