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The law requires all health plans, including ERISA,
health care clearinghouses and any dentist who transmits
health information in an electronic transaction to use a
standard format. Those plans and providers that choose
not to use the electronic standards can use a
clearinghouse to comply with the requirement. Providers'
paper transactions are not subject to this requirement.
In an effort to educate our members on the
implications of HIPAA the ADA will post content on this
page to assist its members in actively participating in
HIPAA educational opportunities.
Featured Content:
Questions
about HIPAA Privacy?
The Office of Civil
Rights (OCR) of the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) has posted a list of frequently asked
questions about HIPAA privacy. The questions are
intended to debunk many of the myths circulating about
compliance requirements. Examples of the questions many
dental professional have asked include:
- Can offices use patient sign-in sheets or call out
the names of patients in their waiting rooms?
- Can a dental office FAX patient medical
information to another dentist's or physician's
office?
- Will the Privacy Rule allow the office to place
charts in a plastic box outside an exam room?
- Does the Privacy Rule permit covered entities or
their collection agencies to obtain payment from
parties other than the patient, e.g., from spouses
or guardians?
- Is a health care provider going to be considered a
business associate of a health plan or other payer?
- Are janitorial services business associates?
ADA
Comments on Proposed Privacy Modifications
(This letter will
appear in a separate browser window)
Privacy
Seminar and Privacy Kit Now Available from the ADA
ADA Preparations for HIPAA
The American Dental Association is actively involved
in preparing material that will facilitate our members'
compliance with the Administrative Simplification
provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). You may download
the memo from Dr. James B. Bramson
regarding steps that are already underway.
HIPAA Privacy Guidance for Dentists
The American Dental
Association has prepared a summary of HIPAA privacy rule
clarifications. You may download
the memo from Dr. James B. Bramson
that addresses many of your concerns with the final
regulation.
Specifically, the guidance confirms that
soundproofing of dental offices is not required, the
privacy official may also be the office manager, the
training requirement can be met by providing each new
employee with a copy of its privacy policy and
documenting that the policies have been reviewed,
appointment reminder postcards are not a violation,
patients can be greeted by name in the waiting room and
free toothbrushes are not marketing. As the ADA and
other health care providers requested, appropriate
changes to the Privacy Rule will be issued later this
year. The ADA will comment on those changes as it has
with previous proposed rules concerning privacy of
protected health information. Updated information will
continue to be posted at http://www.ada.org/goto/hipaa.
ADA
Comments on Proposed Privacy Modifications
(This letter
will appear in a separate browser window)
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Presentations and Downloads:
HIPAA
Disclosure Decision Diagram
(Note: This
is a PDF file. You must have Adobe Reader to view this
file.)
Electronic
Transactions – Where’s the Benefit?
Electronic
Transactions – Where’s the Benefit? Spreadsheet
(Note: this
is a downloadable Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
You must have Microsoft Excel to view this file.)
HIPAA--Cutting
Administrative Costs Exposed
(Note: this
is a downloadable Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.
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