CMS has finalized a rule to phase out faxing and mailing for healthcare claims documentation.
Four things to know:
1. The Administrative Simplification; Adoption of Standards for Health Care Claims Attachments Transactions and Electronic Signatures Final Rule is projected to save the healthcare industry roughly $781 million annually by establishing national standards for the electronic exchange of clinical documentation, according to a March 20 CMS news release. CMS did not share data behind the estimate.
“The 1980s called, and they want their fax machines back,” CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, said in the release. “… This new rule will modernize American healthcare by standardizing electronic claims attachments and enabling secure electronic signatures. Because every minute providers save on paperwork is another minute they can spend caring for patients.”
2. The rule also adopts standards for electronic signatures to support the secure, authenticated transmission of claims-related information across healthcare entities.
3. The rule takes effect May 19 and applies to HIPAA-covered entities, including health plans, healthcare clearinghouses and healthcare providers that conduct electronic transactions. Covered entities must comply by May 19, 2028.
4. It establishes the first HIPAA-adopted standards for healthcare claims attachments, allowing for the secure electronic exchange of supporting clinical documentation such as medical records, X-rays and imaging, clinical notes, telemedicine visit documentation and laboratory results, according to a CMS fact sheet.
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