HIPAA-Compliance Checklist
If you’re a practitioner in North Carolina who accepts state-based insurance, the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Authority (HIEA, or HIE) requires you to report the services rendered to those clients in order to remain compliant.
SimplePractice now gives you the option to send that data automatically each time you submit an insurance claim for those clients. Getting set up is simple—but why does the HIE require this information in the first place?
What is the North Carolina HIE?
Created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2015, the HIE was established to oversee and administer the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Network. This network operates as the state-designated information exchange, and offers healthcare providers in the state to safely and securely share client information.
This statewide health information exchange, called NC HealthConnex, is an important resource for healthcare providers in the state. It provides a secure and standardized way to share critical client data while also promoting the access, exchange, and analysis of health information.
By sharing health data in this exchange, healthcare providers can break down information barriers between themselves and their peers—and work towards achieving greater health outcomes for the clients they serve.
As part of this exchange, the state requires those practitioners who accept state-based insurance—like NC Medicaid and NC Blue Cross Blue Shield State Health Plan—to report their services in order to remain compliant.
New compliance mandate deadline
The next deadline to connect the NC HealthConnex has been extended to January 1st, 2023. In order to remain in compliance with this EHR mandate, you’ll need to have joined NC HealthConnex before that date.
However, it’s recommended that you complete your enrollment process as soon as possible. Connections can take several weeks, and in order to take advantage of SimplePractice’s integrated claims submission feature, you’ll want to make sure everything is set up correctly and that SimplePractice has time to reach out to HIE on your behalf if necessary.
How to integrate SimplePractice
It’s simple to connect your SimplePractice account to NC HealthConnex. Once you do, you’ll be able to automatically send your clients’ data to the HIE each time you submit a claim.
First, you’ll need to complete the NC HIEA Participation Agreement. This form will alert the HIE that you’re ready to enroll in NC HealthConnex, and will provide them all your relevant information, including your practice information and your EHR.
After you put SimplePractice as your EHR, SimplePractice will be notified when NC HealthConnex has processed your agreement. After that, all you’ll need to do to remain in compliance with this legal mandate is select which clients need their data sent to the HIE. Then each time you submit a claim for that client, their data will automatically be submitted.
SimplePractice makes it easy to meet the North Carolina HIE mandate. No extra logins, reminders, or missed payments. Now you can rest easy knowing that your required data is submitted automatically, and spend more time where it matters most—with your clients.
View North Carolina Health Information Exchange (HIE) FAQs
How SimplePractice streamlines running your practice
SimplePractice is HIPAA-compliant practice management software with everything you need to run your practice built into the platform—from booking and scheduling to insurance and client billing.
If you’ve been considering switching to an EHR system, SimplePractice empowers you to streamline appointment bookings, reminders, and rescheduling and simplify the billing and coding process—so you get more time for the things that matter most to you.
Try SimplePractice free for 30 days. No credit card required.
