How does HIPAA apply to minor children who are under the age of 18?
• HIPAA guidelines are meant to preserve current state laws regarding minors. • Minors may have information released with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. • Minors who are authorized to consent to specific medical procedures under state law have control over the use and disclosures of their health information. Question: Is it true that Electronic Claims to Medicare will not be processed if they are in a format other than in the HIPAA format? Answer: Yes, unless you are a small provider. Providers who are not small providers (institutional organizations with 25 or fewer full-time employees or physicians with 10 or fewer full-time employees) must send all claims electronically in the HIPAA format. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has additional information on Electronic Billing and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Transactions. Question: Are there specific deadlines for complying with HIPAA? Answer: Yes. NPIs were mandatory on all Electronic Transactions on May 2
