HCCO Releases CCAP Analysis of HIPAA Transaction Compliance - Nations Leading Translator and Validator Vendors Agree in Interpretation of HIPAA Compliance 43% of the Time.

The HIPAA Conformance Certification Organization (HCCO) announced today that its Common Compliance Assessment Process (CCAP) has identified that, on average, the Nations leading HIPAA translation and validation vendors agree in their interpretation of compliance 43% of the time. This is an improvement over the 2003 figures where common compliance interpretation occurred an average of 35% on all transactions

Mesa, AZ (PRWEB) April 15, 2004 --- The HIPAA Conformance Certification Organization (HCCO) announced today that its Common Compliance Assessment Process (CCAP) has identified that, on average, the Nations leading HIPAA translation and validation vendors agree in their interpretation of compliance 43% of the time. This is an improvement over the 2003 figures where common compliance interpretation occurred an average of 35% on all transactions.

CCAP is an advanced testing process that performs detailed analysis of HIPAA compliance edits across all vendors simultaneously. Testing takes place in a neutral environment to uncover compliance differences among participants and work to align edits. The participants in 2003 and first quarter 2004 testing represent approximately 80% of the translators and validators installed in US health plans.

545 test cases were executed representing all HIPAA transaction sets and 235 had a common interpretation among all vendors. The averages varied across transaction sets with the highest acceptance occurring in testing of the ANSI X12N 835 Electronic Remittance where 74% of test cases were in agreement across vendors. The lowest acceptance rate occurred in the ANSI X12 837I Institutional Claim/Encounter with a common interpretation only occurring in 20% of the test cases.

CCAP testing is an ongoing process. Participants perform testing on a monthly basis throughout the year and complete a more extensive testing process twice yearly. In the extensive testing process completed in January 2004, consisting of 545 transactions containing thousands of test cases, CCAP participants aligned 827 differences in interpretation of compliance edits across all 12 HIPAA transactions.

We are very pleased with the commitment level of all the participating vendors in their ongoing efforts to provide the highest quality product to the healthcare community. CCAP is a vital process in ensuring the interoperability of HIPAA transactions for Providers, Payers and Clearinghouses", stated Mark Lott, Chairman of HCCO. Mr. Lott continues We have come a very long way but there is still much work to be done in the process of aligning compliance edits in HIPAA translation and validation software. Many of the differences can be traced to differences of opinion within the language of the implementation guides, but with the help of X12, the authority for interpretation, we have made great strides in moving this key initiative forward.                     
A very important result of the CCAP testing effort is that while differences of interpretation are present in the beginning of the testing process, all vendors have the same interpretation upon completion of the program. To date CCAP has tested over 1100 transactions representing close to 100,000 various compliance edits and through this effort the majority of the industry has the same understanding of compliance."   

CCAP is open to all entities who wish to join with two levels of testing being established to accommodate all types of entities. CCAP Platinum is designed for translation and validation vendors who set the baseline level of compliance edits with which their customers begin their own validation edits. CCAP Gold is designed for all other entities interested in bringing their edits into immediate alignment with CCAP Platinum members. Todays CCAP Platinum participants represent over 80% of translators in US health plans and 100% of third party compliance testing and certification vendors.

About HCCO:
HCCO is a nonprofit organization serving the healthcare community with practical guidelines for complying with HIPAA regulations through the use of accreditation and certification standards and services. HCCO is the industry leader in bringing interoperability of HIPAA transactions to healthcare through its CCAP testing programs. HCCO believes that all cost-effective and successful compliance strategies will require a common approach to implementation among communities of covered entities, their software vendors and business associates. HCCO offers highly effective and affordable solutions for all organizations involved in HIPAA compliance initiatives.