Beginning January 1, 2012, all U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-covered entities must transition from the current HIPAA 4010/4010A standards for the transmission of healthcare transactions to HIPAA 5010 standards. As of this date, transactions that were accepted electronically under the 4010/4010A version must be submitted in the 5010 format. Any transaction that does not meet the criteria of the 5010 standards will be rejected by commercial and private insurers. The transition from 4010 to 5010 standards has been on the industry radar for a couple of years now, and the deadline to transition has been reset multiple … Continue Reading →

This week we learned that health insurance premiums have increased by around 9% over the past year, most of which is currently covered by employers. This increases the burden of healthcare costs on employers, and on smaller employers in particular. Further, the constant rise in premiums raises red flags about how coverage is going to be handled by smaller employers already teetering on the edge of being unable to provide insurance coverage for their employees. The rise will likely shift momentum toward more employers opting to provide cheaper plans with higher deductibles and fewer benefits. The consumer-directed healthcare plan market, … Continue Reading →