Senate OKs House Version of HIPAA Transactions Delay Bill
The Senate on Wednesday passed by unanimous consent the House version of a bill that would delay the compliance deadline for the HIPAA transactions and code set regulations by one year, to October 2003. The Administrative Simplification Compliance Act (HR 3323) would require health plans and providers to submit to HHS by October 2002 plans indicating how they intend to achieve compliance. The bill would require that the plans include a summary of compliance budgets, schedules, work plans and implementation strategies. Some small health plans would not be required to submit plans. Supporters said the bill does not affect the April 2003 compliance deadline for the HIPAA privacy rules. The bill awaits President Bush's signature, and Tom Gilligan, executive director of the Association For Electronic Health Care Transactions, said that he expects Bush to sign it (Health Privacy News, 12/13).
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