Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: September 17, 2002 <br /> Action AgerWa <br /> Item No. <br /> SUBJECT: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) <br /> Electronic Health Care Transactions and Code Set Standards, Compliance <br /> Deadline Extension, and Selection of the County as a "Hybrid Entity" Under the <br /> Act <br /> DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Resolution Rosemary Summers, ext 2412 <br /> Background Report Sean Borhanian, 732-2196 <br /> Compliance Schedule TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br /> Hillsborough 732-8181 <br /> Chapel Hill 969-4501 <br /> Durham 688-7331 <br /> Mebane 336-227-2031 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider a resolution to designate Orange County as a "Hybrid Entity" for <br /> purposes of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and to <br /> authorize the Director of the Health Department to file a plan that enables the compliance <br /> deadline to be extended until October 2003. <br /> BACKGROUND: HIPPA is intended to protect the health insurance rights of workers who <br /> change jobs and provide enhanced enforcement of health insurance fraud and abuse laws. <br /> Regulations address three primary areas: electronic information sharing; patient privacy; and . <br /> security of health information. A number of County Departments provide health care services, <br /> such as the Health Department and Orange County EMS, and bill services in electronic form. <br /> The Orange County Health Department has spearheaded an interdepartmental workgroup of <br /> County employees to study the initial impact of HIPAA on policies and procedures of <br /> departments to which HIPAA may apply, and help determine next steps to ensure compliance. <br /> (See Background Report and Proposed Compliance Schedule attached). The consensus of <br /> affected departments, in consultation with the County Attorney's Office, is to request <br /> designation as a "hybrid entity". HIPPA privacy rules define a "hybrid entity" as a "single legal <br /> entity whose business includes covered and non-covered functions" provided that the "health <br /> care components" are not the principal mission of the entity. "Hybrid entity" status will allow the <br /> County to distinguish its "health care components" that are subject to the HIPPA privacy rules <br /> and exempt others. The first deadline for compliance or a plan for compliance for County <br /> Departments that electronically bill for medical services is October 16, 2002. <br />