Ruth, Not only clearinghouses, but everybody needs to test at all 6 levels in order to be HIPAA compliant.
The white paper does not communicate it very well, but the concept is that you must test at levels 1 and 2 BEFORE entering into the subsequent testing at other levels with a trading partner. No use in testing with a trading partner unless you know that your stuff at levels 1 and 2 is syntactically correct. Once you know that your levels 1 and 2 are correct, then you can start testing the other levels and either test with a trading partner or test with a third party testing or certifying entity. But you MUST test all six levels before you will know whether you are compliant or not. This is one of the topics that has caused a lot of confusion, and will need to be written better for next version of the white paper. Some people read the requirement to test at levels 1 and 2 (syntax testing only) BEFORE starting the testing with a trading partner as meaning that the only testing you must really do is at levels 1 and 2. That is wrong, all of the testing levels describe HIPAA requirements. Another confusion is the definition of level 2. These are intra-segment syntactical requirements in the implementation guide. Some readers see it as all the HIPAA requirements being lumped at level 2. I am sending this note to the entire group as a reminder of things that we need to work on for the next release of the white paper. Kepa "Tucci-Kaufhold, Ruth A." wrote: > > Kepa, > can you help with this question? > > Ruth Tucci-Kaufhold > UNISYS Corporation > 4050 Innslake Drive > Suite 202 > Glen Allen, VA 23060 > (804) 346-1138 > (804) 935-1647 (fax) > N246-1138 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -----Original Message----- > From: James Driscoll [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, October 26, 2001 3:44 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: testing and certification > > Thank you. I have checked the white paper on this. > > In the white paper it reads, Recommendation: "Clearinghouses should test > their operations, not only at the EDI interface level like all other trading > partners, but also at the translation and date integrity levels."(subtopic 3 > on page 6) > > On top of page 6 it reads, "A submitter who has been approved only for a > level 1 or level 2 test, would have more testing to perform with its trading > partners." > > Can I safely assume that a clearinghouse would need to test for levels 3-6 > in order to be totally HIPAA compliant? > > Thank you in advance for your insight. > > Best regards, > > Jim Driscoll > Business Analyst-Software Development > Sloans Lake Managed Care > 1355 South Colorado Blvd. > Denver, CO 80222 > 303.504.5367 direct > 303.504.5367 fax > 1.800.457.2345 ********************************************************************** To be removed from this list, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that it may take up to 72 hours to process your request.
