HHS supports both standard approaches for e-prescribing

So, HHS has been raising hackles all around of late, in part due to the rough kickoff of the National Provider Identifier requirement, and partly due to its proposal that providers switch over to ICD-10 coding within a few years. Now, it's taking on standards for e-prescribing transaction coding, and this time around, at least, it seems a bit more accommodating.

The agency has proposed that two widely-used standards for billing pharmacy-related professional services and supplies should both be allowed for use. It notes that such a compromise is the best way to handle the situation, given that neither of the two have full support of the players involved and HIPAA's transaction and code set requirements needs use of both for certain elements. 

The two standards include the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs standard D.0. and the transaction set developed by the Accredited Standards Committee, its X12 837. Right now, HIPAA requires NCPDP's version 5.1 standard for billing of retail pharmacy claims for items such as prescription drugs, while requiring X12 837 for billing of supplies like syringes, inhalers and nebulizers.

To learn more about HHS's compromise:
- read this Modern Healthcare article (reg. req.)