Federal enforcers won't scour the nation in search of physicians who fail to comply with new electronic transaction standards by the October 16 deadline, government officials said at a recent meeting, but regulators' assurances left some experts unsatisfied.
The rule governing electronic data interchange of medical records and claims was mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. At their meeting to release new guidance on the rule, Department of Health and Human Services officials made it clear that their enforcement policies will focus more on helping physicians and other covered entities achieve compliance than on imposing penalties and fines.
When CMS receives a complaint about a covered entity, such as a physician, it will notify the entity in writing that a grievance has been filed, the HHS guidance states. After notification, the entity will have the opportunity to demonstrate compliance, document its good-faith efforts to meet the standards and/or submit a corrective action plan.
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