Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Enrolled Bill (Sent to President))
Subtitle F--Administrative Simplification
SEC. 261. PURPOSE.
It is the purpose of this subtitle to improve the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, the medicaid program under title XIX of such Act, and the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system, by encouraging the development of a health information system through the establishment of standards and requirements for the electronic transmission of certain health information.
SEC. 262. ADMINISTRATIVE SIMPLIFICATION.
(a) IN GENERAL- Title XI (42 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`Part C--Administrative Simplification
`DEFINITIONS
`SEC. 1171. For purposes of this part:
`(1) CODE SET- The term `code set' means any set of codes used for encoding data elements, such as tables of terms, medical concepts, medical diagnostic codes, or medical procedure codes.
`(2) HEALTH CARE CLEARINGHOUSE- The term `health care clearinghouse' means a public or private entity that processes or facilitates the processing of nonstandard data elements of health information into standard data elements.
`(3) HEALTH CARE PROVIDER- The term `health care provider' includes a provider of services (as defined in section 1861(u)), a provider of medical or other health services (as defined in section 1861(s)), and any other person furnishing health care services or supplies.
`(4) HEALTH INFORMATION- The term `health information' means any information, whether oral or recorded in any form or medium, that--
`(A) is created or received by a health care provider, health plan, public health authority, employer, life insurer, school or university, or health care clearinghouse; and
`(B) relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health