From The College October 2006

The complete newsletter is available in PDF format, below.

Featured Article

Help Your Patients by Sharing Medical Records Electronically with Social Security

Technology is helping Social Security transform the disability decision-making process to improve service for applicants across the country. Physicians can help ensure more accurate and timely decisions for your patients by sharing your medical records electronically with Social Security and its partner agencies.

This year, Social Security expects more than 2.5 million Americans to file for disability benefits. In a significant change, Social Security and its partner agencies, the Disability Determination Services in each state, are moving to electronic handling of disability claims. The Agency believes this will improve the accuracy, consistency, and timeliness of decision-making throughout the process. To help provide more timely service to your patients seeking disability benefits and ultimately, Medicaid or Medicare benefits, Social Security asks that medical providers also respond via electronic processes when the Agency requests medical records. If you are not already doing so, Social Security urges providers to submit medical records electronically. Here’s how:

• Use your office fax to send medical records toll-free day or night;
  
• Use your Internet connection and Social Security’s secure Web site to send
  individual patient records quickly and easily;
  
• Use a scanner and your Internet connection to send batched patient files to
  Social Security’s secure Web site.

In addition to helping your patients, this option can benefit you as well by reducing administrative costs to medical providers. Since its 2003 launch, the electronic submission of evidence has proven to be more efficient and less burdensome for the medical community responding to 15 million requests for medical evidence each year. Large medical providers, including the VA, are already entering into agreements with Social Security to facilitate their requests for medical evidence. Other large medical providers are also discussing similar agreements with Social Security.

It is also important to note that Social Security’s form to authorize disclosure of information is fully HIPAA compliant. Providers can -- and should -- accept a photocopy or facsimile of the authorization form in order to maximize efficiency and reduce patient wait time for benefits. “Having an electronic folder has opened the door for us to work more efficiently,” said Jo Anne Barnhart, Commissioner of Social Security. “Electronic processes can make it quicker and easier for medical records to be transferred securely, eliminate mail time, and automate handling so that disability applicants will receive a decision sooner. And it helps you, too. Healthcare providers save resources by submitting patient medical records electronically.”

If you would like to register to begin using Social Security’s secure Web site to send medical records or
would like more information about the options available for submitting medical records electronically,
send an e-mail to electronic-records-express@ssa.gov or call toll-free (866) 691-3061.