Modifications to the HIPAA Electronic Transaction Standards

This rule proposes to adopt updated versions of the standards for electronic transactions originally adopted in the regulations entitled, ``Health Insurance Reform: Standards for Electronic Transactions,'' published in the Federal Register on August 17, 2000, which implemented some of the requirements of the Administrative Simplification subtitle of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). These standards were modified in our rule entitled, ``Health Insurance Reform: Modifications to Electronic Data Transaction Standards and Code Sets,'' published in the Federal Register on February 20, 2003. This rule also proposes the adoption of a transaction standard for Medicaid Pharmacy Subrogation. In addition, this rule proposes to adopt two standards for billing retail pharmacy supplies and professional services, and to clarify who the ``senders'' and ``receivers'' are in the descriptions of certain transactions. DATES: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on October 21, 2008.