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HIPAA survey results
Members file electronic claims, still need to test

Recently the Academy surveyed all active members available by e-mail to ascertain their level of knowledge about and readiness to implement the filing of electronic claims compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Responses were received from 1,200 members. Highlights of the survey questions and answers are:

• 85 percent of respondents said they used practice management system software (software used to produce paper or electronic claims);
• 85 percent said their offices filed insurance claims electronically, either directly or through a billing service or clearinghouse;
• 94.3 percent were aware of the Oct. 16 deadline to file forms electronically that meet HIPAA format and content standards; and
• 88 percent said they intended to submit electronic claims after Oct. 16, while 10 percent said they did not and 2 percent did not respond.

The survey's last question was perhaps the most telling. When asked, "Has your practice started testing the required X12837 billing form with payers?" 23.8 percent of respondents said yes, 27.9 percent said no, and 46.8 percent said they didn't know. Some 1.5 percent didn't respond.

"The survey numbers indicate that FPs rely heavily on electronic claims submission and they are aware of the necessary changes to maintain cash flow following Oct. 16," said John Swanson, director of the AAFP Division of Socioeconomics. However, it is a bit discouraging to see that just roughly a quarter of AAFP members have begun testing their insurance claims, said Swanson. "Without testing now, there's no way for a practice to know what kinks in the system might kick their claims out come October."

Go to http://www.aafp.org/fpr/20030800/1.html to read a story from the August FP Report on the upcoming TCS standards deadline and how to prepare for it.

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FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2003 by American Academy of Family Physicians.

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