HCFA Hypocrisy

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HCFA ( the federal agency that oversees medicare ) looks like it may not be as Y2k compliant as advertised, according to the GAO ( Government Accounting Office ) calling into question their ability to process medicare claims come January. Now interestingly enough, HCFA has issued a statement to all health care providers and hospitals that they must PROVE they are compliant as of June 1 or face cutoff of their medicare payments. I love the government. Threaten to ruin hospitals and doctors practices for something THEY CAN'T DO THEMSELVES.

Link

-- kozak (kozak@formerusaf.guv), April 27, 1999

Answers

Damn try again

http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-04/26/110l-042699- idx.html

-- kozak (kozak@formerusaf.guv), April 27, 1999.


Linque

-- link (link@link.link), April 27, 1999.

The links above have an embedded space which keep them from working properly...
 
Correct link at:
 
http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-04 /26/110l-042699-idx.html
 
 
Dan


-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), April 27, 1999.

See earlier thread also.

-- regular (zzz@z.z), April 27, 1999.

The date is now June 1 for HCFA cutoff? I thought it was supposed to be some time in March (and wondered why I hadn't heard anything about it).

-- Dean -- from (almost) Duh Moines (dtmiller@nevia.net), April 27, 1999.


Dean,

Here's an article with an earlier cut-off date:

http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,34853,00.html?st.ne.87.head

Medicare bills must be Y2K compliant now

By Reuters

Special to CNET News.com

April 8, 1999, 2:45 p.m. PT

In an effort to ensure that all doctors' offices, clinics, and hospitals avoid the Y2K computer bug, the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) said that all bills submitted by providers on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries must be Year 2000 compliant beginning this week.

That is, the bills must have an 8-digit date, rather than a 6-digit date that uses "99" as shorthand for 1999. The fear is that in the year 2000, the shorthand "00" will be interpreted as 1900, interrupting the payment system.

"With compliant systems, healthcare providers can be sure they will be paid promptly after January 1, 2000, for the healthcare services they provide to Medicare beneficiaries," said Nancy-Ann DeParle, administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).

HHS began notifying providers a year ago that the Y2K compliant claims requirements would begin this week. HHS said that the action helps assure that providers are preparing their computers for potential Y2K problems and are taking the necessary steps for Y2K readiness.

The healthcare providers are required to submit bills that use 8- digit dates to be reimbursed for performing services for Medicare beneficiaries. HHS noted that as of March 31, 78 percent of Part A electronic billers were submitting Y2K compliant claims, and nearly 100 percent of Part B claims were Y2K compliant.

HHS said that in addition to making sure that billing claims are Y2K compliant, healthcare providers should remedy Y2K bugs in their computers and in medical devices used to diagnose and treat patients. HHS noted that all of HCFA's computer systems are now Y2K compliant.

Story Copyright ) 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), April 27, 1999.


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