WEDI

01/18/05

WEDI/AFECHT/HL7/X12 Electronic Claims Attachments Surveys

WEDI, HL7, X12 and AFEHCT are asking for your help in learning about current practices in the use of Health Care Claims Attachments. We are seeking participation from Health Plans, Providers, Billing Services, Vendors, and Clearinghouses. If you happen to be an IT vendor, we would also like to know about any plans to support the electronic Claims Attachment, which is expected to be the next transaction standard adopted under HIPAA.

We’re asking that you help us in two ways.

1) Take the survey for your kind of business
2) Spread the word to your colleagues and associates

Our goal is to reach all the provider specialties and care settings, all types of large and small health plans, both private and governmental, and a broad cross-section of software vendors, clearing houses and technology service firms. Your participation helps make sure your business processes are better understood and your needs are taken into account.

1 - TAKING THE SURVEY

If you are a healthcare provider or billing service, questions will include:
- Approximate size and type of facility
- Approximate claims volume
- Approximate number of claims requiring attachments
- Types of attachments requested and relative frequency (always/sometimes/never)
Click here to take the provider survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=42437791840

If you are a health plan or government payer, questions will include:
- Type and size of plan (approx number of providers, approx number of covered lives)
- Approximate claims volume
- Which X12 electronic transactions are currently supported
- Types of attachments required and relative frequency (always/sometimes/never)
- Current processes for requesting and handling attachments
Click here to take the health plan survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=52135791847

If you are a software vendor, clearing house, or technology services firm, questions will include:
- Type and size of customers served
- Which X12 transaction types are currently supported
- Future transaction support plans
- Plans for document management/image support
- Deployment plans and timeframe (if any)
Click here to take the vendor survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=32384791851

Due to resource limitations, no paper surveys or email questionnaires will be distributed, and no written responses will be counted. Please use the web-based survey only.

It is vital to the industry that you take advantage of this opportunity to provide your feedback and comments to the sponsoring organizations of this survey. Thank you for your time.

DEADLINE: The surveys will be closed at midnight on Monday March 7, 2005.

To Begin Taking The Survey . . .

Click here to go to the Health Plan Survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=52135791847

Click here to go to the Provider & Billing Service Survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=42437791840

Click here to go to the Vendor & Clearinghouse Survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=32384791851

Sponsoring Organizations:
The Association for Electronic Health Care Transactions (AFEHCT) www.afehct.org
Health Level Seven (HL7) www.hl7.org
The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) www.wedi.org
The Accredited Standards Committee X12 (ASC X12) www.x12.org

************************
The WEDI/AFECHT/HL7/X12 Electronic Claims Attachments Survey Work Group team appreciates your willingness to complete this very important survey. Below are several FAQ's that the Work Group believes will answer most questions.

FAQs:

Q. Can I get a printed copy of the survey?
A. We have provided downloadable versions of the question and answer text below. You may find this useful for collecting information in advance, or for discussions within your organization. However, as a volunteer team, we do not have the resources to process written or emailed responses. The only way to have your response counted is to use the online tool. The links to the tool are listed below.

Q. Can I get a list of all the survey questions?
A. Yes. Just follow the appropriate link at the bottom of this page.

Q. How do I know what to expect?
A. Each survey begins with a summary of the questions you will be asked. You can review the list and collect any information you need, then return to the link and take the survey?

Q. I am not a member of WEDI or HL7 or AFEHCT or ASC X12. Can I still take the survey?
A. Absolutely! Please do.

Q. Someone sent me this email. Can I take the survey?
A. Absolutely! Yes.

Q. What will you do with the survey results?
A. We plan to publish a limited amount of analysis. We will make de-identified data available upon request. Check back after the survey is over for more information.

Q. What if I can’t answer all the questions?
A. We ask that you complete the survey anyway. We expect that no one has all the answers, but we want to know what you know, and what others might know, so we can put together the whole picture for the industry. Responses include “Not sure,” “N/A,” “Other,” etc., so you can answer the question accurately, without making anything up.

Q. Why did you list all of these specific attachment types?
A. Those are the ones for which a standard exists or is under active development within the HL7 Attachment Special Interest Group at the time we began work on the survey. If you don’t see one you think we should have, please let us know using the spaces provided.

Q. Why don't you list EOB? That's the thing I have to send the most.
A. There is already a way to pass EOB information in an electronic transaction (via a secondary 837 claim). Sending an electronic EOB any other way would require a change in the HIPAA Electronic Transactions regulations.

If you have additional questions, please contact claimsattach@yahoo.com.

Related files for Download:

Click to preview Health Plan Survey Questions
Click to preview Provider Survey Questions
Click to preview Vendor Survey Questions

For More Information Contact:

claimsattach@yahoo.com