Health information technology : CMS took steps to improve Its beneficiary eligibility verification system : report to congressional requesters.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.)--Information technology.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.).

Medicare beneficiaries--Data processing.

Medicare beneficiaries.

Medical informatics--United States.

Medical informatics.

Medicare--Economic aspects.

Medicare.

Medical Informatics--organization & administration.

Medicare--economics.

United States.

Information technology.

Medical Subjects:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.).

Medical Informatics--organization & administration.

Medicare--economics.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (ii, 31 pages)

Other Title:

CMS took steps to improve Its beneficiary eligibility verification system

Place of Publication:

[Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Govt. Accountability Office, [2012]

Summary:

Medicare is a federal program that pays for health care services for individuals 65 years and older and certain individuals with disabilities. In 2011, Medicare covered about 48.4 million of these individuals, and total expenditures for this coverage were approximately $565 billion. CMS, the agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that administers Medicare, is responsible for ensuring that proper payments are made on behalf of the program's beneficiaries. In response to HIPAA requirements, CMS developed and implemented an information technology system to help providers determine beneficiaries' eligibility for Medicare coverage. In May 2005 CMS began offering automated services through HETS, a query and response system that provides data to users about Medicare beneficiaries and their eligibility to receive payment for health care services and supplies. Because of the important role that HETS plays in providers having access to timely and accurate data to determine eligibility, GAO was asked to (1) identify the operational status of HETS, (2) identify any steps CMS has taken to ensure users' satisfaction and plans to take to ensure the system supports future requirements, and (3) describe CMS's policies, processes, and procedures for protecting the privacy of data provided by HETS. To do so, GAO collected and analyzed documentation from program officials, such as reports on transaction volume and response times, agreements with users, and CMS's privacy impact and risk assessments of HETS. GAO also interviewed program officials and system users.

Notes:

Title from title caption (viewed on Dec. 31, 2012).

"September 2012."

Includes bibliographical references.

"GAO-12-973."

OCLC:

823392198