ALBUQUERQUE, NM. February 24, 2003. ABC codes characterize alternative medicine, nursing, and other integrative healthcare practices. Maintained by The Foundation for Integrative Healthcare (FIHC), a nonprofit organization, and Alternative Link (The 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 federal government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
"The newer code set offers design, development, and oversight improvements needed to enhance public health and business efficiencies," says Melinna Giannini, a coding expert and FIHC board member. "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 will help the industry better manage care, claims, and outcomes for the expanded healthcare services today's consumers demand," notes Ms Molina. "HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson approved the use and evaluation of ABC codes as a proposed modification to the HIPAA standards.
"What the HIPAA exception does is allow for expanded studies of the costs and benefits of ABC codes when used in electronic commerce," explains Ms Giannini. "HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996." The Act requires that the entire healthcare industry communicate using the same transaction formats and code sets to support electronic commerce and administrative simplification. 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," adds Ms Molina. ABC codes support comparisons of the economic and health outcomes of conventional, complementary and alternative care.
Ms Molina also predicts that ABC codes will result in improved healthcare access, quality, and cost-management, because policy makers get a more complete and accurate picture of US healthcare. She notes that the codes are recognized by influential 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.
The Foundation for Integrative Healthcare (http://www.fihc.org) delivers insight, competencies, and tools needed to support rational health, healthcare, and health policy decisions. FIHC focuses on collecting, compiling, and disseminating information on the characteristics and outcomes of care to improve public health, industry efficiencies, and socioeconomic development.
Alternative Link (http://www.alternativelink.com) delivers information products and consulting services that help healthcare pioneers lead emerging markets. The company focuses on intelligence-driven infrastructure and analytical solutions that protect and enhance public access to health-promoting and cost-effective healthcare interventions.
Individuals and organizations can secure the rights to use ABC codes in HIPAA transactions by registering at http://www.alternativelink.com before Sunday, March 16, 2003.
2003 National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists Board of Directors
President
Janet Fulton
Immediate Past President
Sue B. Davidson
President-Elect
Angela Clark
Vice-President
Nancy E. Dayhoff
Treasurer
Karen Lyon
Secretary
Theresa Posani
Directors
Deborah Antai-Otong
Kathleen Baldwin
Gail DeLuca Havens
Theresa Murray
Newsletter Editors
Theresa Posani
Deborah Antai-Otong
NACNS Staff
Executive Director
Christine Carson Filipovich
NACNS
3969 Green St
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Telephone: 717-234-6799
Fax: 717-234-6798
E-mail: [email protected]