CMS seeking providers to volunteer for compliance review program

CMS released a bulletin April 10 on behalf of HHS seeking providers to participate in a volunteer Provider Pilot Program to test the process for reviewing compliance with its HIPAA Administrative Simplification rules.

Any provider who conducts electronic healthcare transactions can volunteer for the program. At the end of April, HHS plans to select three providers from the pool of volunteers to participate.

The Administrative Simplification rules are a standard for electronic transactions, code sets, and unique identifiers that all HIPAA-covered entities are required to comply with. Participants in the pilot program will be able to test their electronic transactions for compliance with these standards and work one-on-one with HHS to identify and resolve compliance issues.

According to a CMS Q&A, the transaction submission will take less than 10 hours, and CMS expects the pilot program to be completed in four to six months, depending on the findings. Participants will be exempt from compliance reviews for one year after completing the program.

Interested volunteers need to contact CMS by April 24.