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Mississippi offices not ready for new HIPAA rule: temporary relief given for electronic standards compliance.

Article Excerpt
The October 16th deadline for complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's (HIPAA) electronic standards has passed, and most medical providers aren't ready.

Even though the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently agreed to temporarily accept noncompliant Medicare claims after the deadline, and private insurers seem to be following CMS' lead, the practice could stop without notice, leaving medical providers facing serious cash flow problems.

As of October 13, only 15% of providers nationwide had complied, or had even begun testing for compliance, with the new HIPAA rule.

"Everybody's compliance is low," said Linda McMullen, general counsel for Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA). "The deadline on the 16th has basically become a non-issue because all the large payers have agreed to continue accepting non-HIPAA compliant electronic claims."

Hospitals nationwide have asked CMS for specific guidance on key issues, such as...