Do you need to send health care eligibility updates to your insurance carrier? Then you need an Electronic Data Interchange 834 file, commonly shortened to EDI834. This standard format meets HIPAA requirements, but there’s a catch. Even though it’s a global standard, it’s not 100 percent standardized.
The exact requirements vary from carrier to carrier, and these little differences can lead to big headaches for employers and third-party administrators trying to submit the correct files. To keep this from becoming a major hassle, you need a flexible solution. Here’s what to look for in a software program.
Flexibility and Customization
Because carriers set their own requirements for 834 files, you need a flexible solution that lets you customize files easily. For example, you should be able to move fields around and make other alterations to meet carrier specifications.
Making these changes should not be a hassle. With the right, user-friendly program, you don’t have to be an EDI expert just to figure out how to complete a simple form. You shouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg so that a development team can come up with the right form, either.
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Although carrier specifications for 834 files vary, they have a lot in common. There’s no reason to start from scratch when developing a file – and doing so can waste a tremendous amount of resources. You have better things to do with your time and money.
A good solution will give you a starting point, eliminating a great deal of hassle. From there, you can customize the file as needed. This method can take far less time and money than starting from nothing. With just a few clicks, you have the file you need.
How Travisoft Does It
Customizable 834 capabilities are built into Travisoft’s COBRA and Retiree Billing administration software. This flexible solution gives you a starting point that you can easily modify to fit your needs, even if you’re not an expert in 834 files.
Using the EDI generator is easy. Simply drag and drop fields to where you want them. Insert default values as needed. It’s an intuitive system that quickly gives you exactly what you need.
The biggest thing to remember about Travisoft’s 834 solution is that it’s already built for you so you can simply tweak it as needed for each carrier, instead of starting from scratch with your own IT team each time. This advantage is unique to Travisoft – most COBRA and Retiree solutions do not offer this feature.
If you have multiple carriers, you can easily generate files with specifications for each 834 file. You’ll also be able to generate test files and live files on demand. Once the system generates the files, you download them, and they’re ready for you to send to your carrier’s SFTP site.
Contact us to learn more and check out the system screenshot below for additional details.
