Nacha Files Comments on Healthcare Standards Development
Urges Greater Adoption of the Healthcare EFT, and Points to Afinis as Model for API Standardization
Nacha filed comments on July 30, 2021, with the National Committee on Vital Health and Statistics (NCVHS), Subcommittee on Standards, in response to the NCVHS’ request for information on “Healthcare Standards Development, Adoption and Implementation.” Nacha is the organization designated by the Department of Health and Human Services for the administration and maintenance of the Healthcare EFT HIPAA transaction.
Nacha addressed the need for broader adoption of the Healthcare EFT because of its value proposition for medical and dental providers. According to the 2020 CAQH Index, there is still an opportunity for nearly $900 million in annual administrative savings with full adoption of EFT for claim payments. Nacha also encouraged NCVHS to act on previously made recommendations for improving the user experience with the Healthcare EFT.
Regarding the development of future standards, Nacha pointed to Afinis Interoperability Standards as a prime example of an industry collaboration that has achieved success in bringing diverse parties together to develop and promote industry standards for data exchange. Similarly, in its own comment letter, CAQH CORE recommended that with respect to Afinis, that “HHS and NCVHS engage with Nacha to learn more detail about the testing, implementation, and certification components of this successful initiative.”
