[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 160 (Thursday, August 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 50373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20821]



  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 160 / Thursday, August 17, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 50373]]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

[HCFA-0149-N]
RIN 0938-AI58


Health Insurance Reform: Announcement of Designated Standard 
Maintenance Organizations

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the organizations that the Secretary 
designates as Designated Standard Maintenance Organizations (DSMOs). 
These organizations maintain standards for health care transactions 
adopted by the Secretary, and receive and process requests for adopting 
a new standard or modifying an adopted standard. This notice is 
published in accordance with our final rule titled Standards for 
Electronic Transactions, published elsewhere in this Federal Register, 
which implements section 262 of the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act, which added sections 1171 through 1179 to the 
Social Security Act.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 16, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stanley Nachimson, (410) 786-6153.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 262 of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 
Act (HIPAA) added sections 1171 through 1179 to the Social Security Act 
(the ``Act''). Section 1173(a) of the Act requires the Secretary to 
adopt standards for health care transactions to enable electronic 
exchange of health information. In addition, section 1172 of the Act 
requires consultation prior to the adoption of a standard with the 
following Data Content Committees (DCCs): National Uniform Billing 
Committee (NUBC), the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC), the 
Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI), and the American 
Dental Association prior to the adoption of a standard. In the case of 
a standard that has been developed, adopted, or modified by a standard 
setting organization (SSO), the SSO is to consult with the above-named 
groups during such development, adoption, or modification. In the case 
of any other standard, the Secretary is required to consult with each 
of the above-named groups before adopting the standard and must also 
comply with the provisions of section 1172(f) of the Act regarding 
consultation with the National Committee on Vital and Health 
Statistics.
    The final rule titled ``Standards for Electronic Transactions,'' 
published elsewhere in this Federal Register, establishes a new 
category of organization, the ``Designated Standard Maintenance 
Organization (DSMO).'' Section 162.910 of this final regulation 
provides that the Secretary may designate as DSMOs those organizations 
that agree to maintain the standards adopted by the Secretary. Section 
162.910 also establishes criteria for the processes to be used in such 
maintenance. Several DCCs and SSOs have agreed to maintain those 
standards designated as national standards in the final rule 
``Standards for Electronic Transactions'' according to the criteria 
established by the Secretary.

Provisions of the Notice

    Pursuant to Sec. 162.910, the Secretary designates the following 
organizations as DSMOs:
    1. Accredited Standards Committee X12.
    2. Dental Content Committee of the American Dental Association.
    3. Health Level Seven.
    4. National Council for Prescription Drug Programs.
    5. National Uniform Billing Committee.
    6. National Uniform Claim Committee.

    Authority: Section 1172 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1320d-1)

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.778, Medical 
Assistance Program; No. 93.773 Medicare--Hospital Insurance Program; 
and No. 93.774, Medicare-- Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

    Dated: July 24, 2000.
Donna Shalala,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-20821 Filed 8-11-00; 3:41 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P