U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced the release of a regulation that adopts operating rules for making healthcare claim payments electronically. The rule also describes adjustments to claim payments.
In combination with a previously issued regulation, the rule, called "Administrative Simplification: Adoption of Operating Rules for Health Care Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) and Remittance Advice Transactions," will save up to $9 billion over the next 10 years by reducing inefficient manual administrative processes for physician practices, hospitals, and health plans, HHS said.
The rule will be published in the Federal Register on August 10. HHS is taking comment on it until October 9. If finalized, the rule will take effect on January 1, 2014.
