Acceptance of non-standard formats will only continue for a limited time. Providers and/or submitters should be actively testing the ANSI-837, version 4010A1 format via the company's self-testing system available on the Provider Home Page under Electronic Commerce. Providers should move into production on the HIPAA required format as soon as possible to avoid cash flow problems.

• HIPAA Newsletters
• Provider Mailings

Privacy, the second area of HIPAA-AS, had a compliance deadline of April 14, 2003. Among other things, this rule:

• limits the use and release of individually identifiable health information;
• gives patients the right to access individually identifiable health care information in the hands of a covered entity, to which the law applies;
• restricts disclosure of individually identifiable health care information to the minimum necessary amount needed for the intended purpose; and
• establishes safeguards and restrictions on access to records for certain public responsibilities.

Standard terms used with the HIPAA Program.