**INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE**

**Business Office Coordinators, HIPAA Coordinators,**

**Information System Coordinators and Headquarters**

**Minutes for January 22, 2004**

**HIPAA Business Transactions Awareness Conference Call**

**[Present]{.underline}**

*ITSC:* Carl Gervais, Sandra Lahi, Ken Russell, and David White

*Headquarters:* Frank Martin

*Aberdeen:* Joan Azure, BOC; Raymond Grandbois, HIPAA Coord;

and Dori Junker, BOC

> *Fort Thompson:* Lovetta Whitemouse,

*Alaska:* Lue Rae Erickson, BOC, ANTHC; and Margi Buchwalter

*Albuquerque:* *No Response*

*Bemidji:* Margo Bahr, Site Manager; Jan Thunder, BOC; and Charles
Tudor, Computer Specialist

*White Earth:* Julie Heisler

*Billings:* *No Response*

*California: No Response*

*Nashville: No Response*

*Navajo:* Roland Todacheenie, BOM & HIPAA Coord

*Oklahoma:* Sue Bear, Deputy BOC

*Portland:* David Battese, IT Specialist; Cheryl Bittle, Director OHP;
Jonathan Hubbard, Director IRM; and Leah Tom, BOC

*Phoenix:* DeAlva Honahnie, Director OHP

*Tucson: No Response*

**[Meeting Began at 10:00 AM]{.underline}**

**Roll Call** Roll call was taken. (Additional participants were
received from the Conference Center that was emailed to David White.)
David White is filling in as ITSC HIPAA Transaction Coordinator as a
result of Susan Bowman's departure. If anyone is interested or knows of
someone who wants to apply for the ITSC HIPAA Transaction Coordinator in
Albuquerque, the position is being advertised. Please contact Sandra
Lahi.

**Minutes** The 01/08/04 Conference Call Minutes were posted to the IHS
website. David Battese asked that we change his position title on the
minutes from ISC to IT Specialist. David White would make the changes on
the Minutes.

**AGENDA ITEMS ADDRESSED**

[Item #2 \-- Reports from Area Office Leads/ITSC -- What Advances Have
Your Area Made Towards HIPAA Business Transaction Testing?]{.underline}

**Aberdeen** Joan Azure reports no testing yet. Loaded Third Party
Billing version 2.5 patch 4 at Fort Thompson but not yet at Fort
Berthold. Possible Cache issues at Fort Berthold. Fort Thompson will
test with ND Medicaid.

**Alaska** Margi Buchwalter was unsure of status.

**Albuquerque** Adrian is following up on testing with NM Medicaid.

**Bemidji** Status Quo at Bemidji. Once patch 4 is loaded will begin
working with MN Medicaid.

**Billings** *No updated report provided.*

**California** *No updated report provided.*

**Nashville** *No updated report provided.*

**Navajo** Roland Todacheenie reports status quo. A conference call is
scheduled with AHCCCS on Tuesday to discuss a deployment plan for the
AHCCCs 837 testing.

**Oklahoma** Sue Bear reports status quo.

**Portland** David Battese reports status quo. Have specific detailed
errors and will email them to Sandra.

**Phoenix** DeAlva Honahnie deferred to Charlotte Melcher who was not on
the call.

**Tucson** *No update report provided.*

**ITSC** [837 Third party billing, p4]{.underline}

**Sandra Lahi** Arizona Medicaid (AHCCCs) certified patch 4 for filing
with 837 claim formats

> AHCCCS is waiting on a deployment schedule for the 837 throughout
> Phoenix, Navajo and Tucson. AHCCCS is now using the 824 error report
> to report errors in the 837 claim. Sites are having a hard time
> reading these error reports. A contract developer in Oklahoma has been
> able to pull the 824 report data into an Excel spreadsheet to improve
> reading the report **.** ITSC is working on obtaining this process.
> Charlotte Melcher also scheduled a training with AHCCCs with field
> Business Office Managers which includes reading error reports.
>
> Trailblazer's error report is still using the 997 error report and
> ITSC is researching a process to assist the sites with responding to
> this type of error report.

Ongoing 837 Testing with MS and NM Medicaid. More information on testing
with Trailblazer will follow at the workshop.

The [835 format is included in A/R v1.7 , p4, specific to the Medicare
Part A 835 format.]{.underline}

**Sandra Lahi** AR patch 4 released 1/15/04. For sites posting Part A,
835 format, patch 4 accommodates this format. Trailblazer will work with
sites on testing.

Working on patch 5. AHCCCS has a supplemental file that provides more
detailed reporting of why claims are denied. Remittance Advice Remarks
Codes will also be part of patch 5.

ITSC is still working with PNC Bank on the Medicare Part B 835 and a
pharmacy POS 835 file. Received a file from PNC Bank and this is being
initially tested at Parker SU, Red Lake SU and Warm Springs.

[270/271 -- Eligibility Inquiry & Response]{.underline}

**Sandra Lahi** Sill looking for test partners and sites to test. Let
Sandra or Adrian know if you want to test. ITSC will work with sites
when ready to test.

Roland Todacheenie said Fort Defiance may be interested in becoming a
test site. Carl Gervais stated this may be a problem because Navajo Area
is working with QUOVADX .

[Item #3 -- Business Transactions "Train the Trainer"
Workshop:]{.underline}

**Sandra Lahi** ITSC is finalizing the workshop training manual. Current
registrations indicate good participation. To date, the first session
has 17 participants registered while the second session has 19
participants registered. Sandra has a list of attendees if anyone would
like to view the lists.

Patrick from Phoenix Area stated he may not attend and question came up
as to who would attend in his place. DeAlva would find out and let the
Training Coordinator know. .

No questions on the workshop or the agenda.

**QUESTIONS/CONCERNS/DISCUSSION**

None

**NEXT CONFERENCE CALL**

The next call is scheduled for Thursday, 2/19/04 at 10:00 AM (MST). We
are not having a call on February 5^th^ due to the workshop. The
conference call-in number is: (888) 531-9517 (Passcode: 46879).

***MEETING ADJOURNED AT 10:35 AM***