ADVISORY/HIPAA Update: Final Rules On Uniform Data Transmission and Code Sets to be Published Today; Deloitte & Touche and Deloitte Consulting Available to Discuss Impact.

Health Care Reporters

ADVISORY...

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

HIPAA UPDATE: FINAL RULES ON UNIFORM DATA

TRANSMISSION AND CODE SETS TO BE PUBLISHED TODAY

DELOITTE & TOUCHE AND DELOITTE CONSULTING AVAILABLE

TO DISCUSS IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS

WHO:   Deloitte & Touche
       Aidan Collins, Principal, HIPAA Services
       Lisa Dahm, Senior Manager, HIPAA Services

       Deloitte Consulting
       Julia Cooney, Principal, HIPAA Services

WHY:   HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
       Act of 1996) is big - some believe it to be the most sweeping
       national legislation to impact the health care industry in
       more than 30 years. HIPAA establishes government-mandated
       standards for business-to-business health care e-commerce.

WHAT:  Scheduled for today, standards for the electronic exchange
       of administrative and financial health care transactions, as
       well as code sets for medical data, will be published in the
       Federal Register. This will require health plans and providers
       to change software, along with forms and coding of information
       - resulting in significant short-term expenditures, however
       ultimately leading to substantial long-term savings. Health
       and Human Services estimates $29.9 billion in net savings over
       the next 10 years. These standards will also help industry
       players achieve additional efficiency and potentially reduce
       risk of errors in medical data.

       Deloitte & Touche and Deloitte Consulting practitioners
       are available to provide insight into the impact this
       ruling will have on the health care industry and patients
       in coming years. Specific topics of discussion may include:

        --  The impact these new data transmission and coding
            standards will have on health plans, health care
            clearinghouses, and health care providers submitting
            transactions electronically

        --  How industry players, both traditional and dot.com, will
            prepare for the impending changes

        --  How these final electronic data transmission standards
            will affect the yet to be finalized health information
            privacy proposals, also being developed as part of HIPAA

        --  How this will affect the e-Health revolution

DETAILS: To speak with a Deloitte & Touche/Deloitte Consulting
         practitioner or to receive relevant HIPAA materials,
         please contact Nathan Rearick at 415/477-4531 or
         [e-mail].