The quest for uniformity in billing goes on

The Healthcare Financial Management Association has proposed a bill in Congress that seeks to address the need to simplify patient billing and processing of claims. Efforts to institute a uniformity bill started as early as 1982, but differences in state interpretations and payer requirements made it inapplicabe for most small providers and payers. The new bill proposes the establishment of a Health Care Administrative Commission to monitor and regulate the functions of the clearinghouses, networks and other entities involved in the new system.