Deadline Nears for Rights to Use ABC Codes in HIPAA Transactions
for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Nursing

ALBUQUERQUE, NM, February 24, 2003 -- Healthcare stakeholders have less than three weeks to secure rights to use Advanced Billing Concept (ABC) codes in HIPAA transactions, according to the organizations that develop and update the codes. ABC codes characterize alternative medicine, nursing and other integrative healthcare practices. Maintained by The Foundation for Integrative Healthcare (FIHC), a non-profit organization, and Alternative Link, a privately-held New Mexico company, the codes were designed to plug gaps in older code sets controlled by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

“Now that HHS has approved the use and evaluation of ABC codes, the next step for organizations and practitioners interested in using them is to register before the HHS deadline of March, 16, 2003,” says Synthia Molina, CEO of Alternative Link. “HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson approved the use and evaluation of ABC codes as a proposed modification to the HIPAA standards. So far, HHS remains firm about the registration cut-off date of Sunday, March 16, 2003, to ‘opt in’ under this special HIPAA exception. For this reason, those who don’t enroll now will be “locked out” of using ABC codes for e-commerce over the next two years. Immediate enrollment is essential. Fortunately, it’s also easy.”

The HIPAA exception allows for expanded studies of the costs and benefits of ABC codes when used in electronic commerce. ABC codes are used in combination with the AMA’s CPT codes and CMS’ HCPCS Level II codes, and they fit into the same data fields, software applications, information systems and business processes. The codes work like universal product codes (UPCs) or bar codes in the retail industry to support research, management and commerce. ABC codes were designed to meet HIPAA requirements and allow for more precise and efficient communication about the administration, financing and delivery of integrative healthcare products and services. “The use of ABC codes in HIPAA transactions does not guarantee payment for alternative medicine, nursing and other integrative healthcare practices, but code use will lead to more rational coverage and reimbursement decisions based on the relative cost-effectiveness of different approaches to care. ABC codes support comparisons of the economic and health outcomes of conventional, complementary and alternative care. The codes are recognized by healthcare organizations such as the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Oriental Medicine, the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance, the World Chiropractic Alliance, the American Massage Therapy Association, the Midwives Alliance of North America and Citizens for Midwifery.

Individuals and organizations can secure the rights to use ABC codes in HIPAA transactions by registering at www.alternativelink.com before Sunday, March 16, 2003.