FW: Update on ABC Code Registration Deadline: Sunday, March 16, 2003

[Guest guest]

For you US practitioners - some people think this is going to be a great

thing for insurance reimbursements for our profession - I don't know how

it will end up. If you want to sign up for the test period (till 2006),

your deadline is Sunday March 16th.

Geoff

 

-

" Cheri Dunkleberger " <Cheri.Dunkleberger

" Press Release " <PressRelease

Thursday, March 06, 2003 3:34 PM

Update on ABC Code Registration Deadline: Sunday, March 16,

2003

 

 

> For Immediate Release For information, contact Cheri

> Dunkleberger

> at 505.875.0001 (MST), or

>

>

> cheri.dunkleberger

>

> REGISTRATIONS soar with ELEVEN days remaining

> to SECURE RIGHTS TO USE ABC CODES IN HIPAA TRANSACTIONS

>

> ALBUQUERQUE, NM. March 5, 2003. Health industry businesses and

> practitioners have until

> March 16, 2003, to register for rights to use ABC codes in HIPAA

> transactions. Those that do not register will be locked out of code

use

in

> these transactions for two years, according to a Health and Human

Services

> (HHS) mandate.

>

> Registrations are soaring as organizations and individuals across the

> healthcare continuum prepare to implement the codes in healthcare

research,

> management and commerce applications. Current code set users and

brand

new

> registrants include HIPAA trading partners, business associates and

vendors

> such as software application developers and information technology

> companies; administrative and claims-related businesses;

Medicare/Medicaid

> and private health plans; provider organizations; conventional,

> complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners; government

> agencies; employers and academic institutions with CAM programs.

>

> ABC codes reflect growing consumer demand for services offered by over

three

> million licensed healthcare practitioners, other than conventional

> physicians. By describing alternative medicine, nursing and other

> integrative healthcare practices, the codes plug gaps in the American

> Medical Association's CPT codes and the government's HCPCS Level II

codes.

> HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson authorized commercial use and evaluation

of

ABC

> codes as an exception and proposed modification to HIPAA transaction

and

> code set standards.

>

> Registration for using ABC codes is free at www.alternativelink.com

> <http://www.alternativelink.com> and takes less than ten minutes. It

> includes an opinion poll that fulfills registrant obligations under

the

> HIPAA exception. Once enrolled, registrants can opt in or out of code

set

> use and evaluation, as they see fit.

>

> ABC codes are maintained by The Foundation for Integrative Healthcare,

a

> non-profit organization, and Alternative Link, a privately-held New

Mexico

> company. The Foundation for Integrative Healthcare (www.fihc.org)

manages

> information on the characteristics and outcomes of care to help health

> industry organizations and practitioners make rational decisions that

> improve public health, industry efficiencies and socioeconomic

development.

>

>

> Alternative Link (www.alternativelink.com) delivers information

products

and

> consulting services that help health industry organizations and

> practitioners improve public health, business efficiencies and

socioeconomic

> development.

>

> Individuals and organizations can secure rights to use ABC codes in

HIPAA

> transactions by registering at www.alternativelink.com by March 16,

2003.

>

> <<PR-11DaysLeft-03.03.04-08.doc>>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

personally I hope that CPT will come out with alternative med codes

alon