The Way Forward in 2012

The Living Affected Corporation is proud to announce the completion of "Our Lives, Our Stories, The Untold Stories of Women with AIDS," which was the centerpiece of the organizations The Plus Club program which began February 14, 2011. The publication compsed by program participants with funding courtsey of Tibotec Pharmacueticals. Slated to be disseminated among local agencies and community based organizations that have sexual health programming or initiatives, the book also includes a listing of various resources and HIV/AIDS based links that will further inform readers of ongoing services and providers. This ground breaking book reveals the layers of emotions of four women who participated in the program. The Livingn Affected Corporation created the program to facilitate a safe harbour which the organization saw as lacking in this area for women with HIV and AIDS to meet and share their experiences. Many of the stories speak to how each individual coped with learning their status, navigating the health care system, governement agencies and the aftermath of that reality within their family structure or extended relationship. Vera S. wrote that when she disclosed to a male friend her status, he laughed. Writer D.Guy said that she was "wild and crazy" before learning she had contracted HIV. She said she felt "alone and that one one wanted to be around her." Ann D. spoke of the rigors of working two jobs, child raising and grabbing life with gusto with travel and perks that she adored until she had to face the consequences of being tested for HIV. It was an life altering change that she still grapples with to this day. Other stories in the book recall numerous incidents and circumstances including those who would not drink from the same glasses, didn't use the same toilets and religious rhetoric citing their diagnosis was God sent. The publishing arm of The Living Affected Corporation is designed as a support mechcanism in the scope of the social entreprenuerial arena. Publications are generated as outreach, corporate branding and informatonal offerings to its client base, community groups and the general public at large. Any derived proceeds from the publications provide revenues as foundations for future projects, programming or initiatives.  A book release event is being scheduled with an announcement forthcoming. To purchase copies of all books produced by LACorp  contact info@lacorponline.org or call 877.902.7HIV

Affordable Care Act provision cuts red tape, saves up to $4.5 billion

Streamlining electronic funds transfers in health care will bring total savings to
more than $16 billion over 10 years

New standards for electronic funds transfers in health care, required by the Affordable Care Act, will reduce up to $4.5 billion off administrative costs for doctors and hospitals, private health plans, states, and other government health plans, over the next ten years, according to estimates included in new rules published today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The standards build upon regulations published earlier this year that set industry-wide standards for how health providers use electronic systems to quickly and easily determine a patient’s eligibility for health coverage and check on the status of a health claim.
Together, the two regulations implementing the Administrative Simplification provisions of the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are projected to save the health care industry more than $16 billion over the next 10 years. These savings come from the adoption of electronic standards that will help eliminate inefficient manual processes and reduce costs.
“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, health care professionals will spend less time filling out paperwork and more time focusing on delivering the best care for patients,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
An April 2010 study in the journal Health Affairs found that physicians spend nearly 12 percent of every dollar they receive from patients to cover the costs of filling out forms and performing other excessively complex administrative tasks. The study found that simplifying these systems could save four hours per week of professional time per physician and five hours of support staff time every week – time that could be better spent on patient care.
“As a nurse, I know the importance of giving health care professionals time to focus on patient care,” said CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. “The less time a physician has to spend on paperwork is that much more time that can be devoted to patient care. Having standardized procedures across the health care industry can only lead to lower costs and greater efficiencies all around.”
Today’s rule—the Adoption of Standards for Health Care Electronic Funds Transfers and Remittance Advice — adopts streamlined standards for the format and data content of the transmission a health plan sends to its bank when it wants to pay a claim to a provider electronically (through an electronic funds transfer) and to issue a Remittance Advice notice. Remittance Advice is a notice of payment sent to providers that may or may not accompany the payment the provider receives.
For example, currently when a provider submits a claim electronically for payment, a health plan often sends a Remittance Advice separately from the Electronic Funds Transfers payment. The disconnect between the two makes it difficult or sometimes impossible for the provider to match up the bill and the corresponding payment. Today’s rule addresses this by requiring the use of a trace number that automatically matches the two. The new tracking system will allow health care providers to eliminate costly manual reconciliation that must currently be done.
Future administrative simplification rules will address adoption of:

• A standard unique identifier for health plans;
• A standard for claims attachments; and
• Requirements that health plans certify compliance with all HIPAA standards and operating rules.

The regulation is effective January 1, 2012. All health plans covered under HIPAA must comply by January 1, 2014.
To view the Interim Final Regulation with comment period, go to: http://www.regulations.gov
For more information on the June 2011 HIPAA Administrative regulation: Adoption of Operating Rules for Eligibility for a Health Plan and Health Care Claim Status, visit: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/06/20110630a.html