HealthLink par files have select new features that began in May 2006.
The new features include:
- A field location for National Provider Identifiers (NPIs);
- Consistent presentation of the data elements at field 59 for all file types;
- The Healthlink affiliated hospital for individual practitioners (staff privileges)
using the HealthLink 6-digit provider ID; and
- Improvements in field length for provider service locations.
The par file changes will allow payors who use “par files” for production of their own or
vendor-produced paper provider directories to identify the correct hospital affiliations
by use of a code (and reference table) as well as indicate providers who are board certified
in the “board status” field. The Healthlink specialty codes are cross-referenced
to national specialties (using taxonomy codes).
Those payors using “par files” to mark their provider records for the correct participation
status will have the ability to automatically program their systems to accept a full-file
with the new field for the NPI.
All file types to have consistent data elements starting at field 59 (the current versions
vary in content at this point to the end of the files).
Field 58 is a “P” or “G” indicator, to signify if the provider is contracted at the individual
practitioner lever (P) or the group level (G), the latter may be the contracting method
for a PHO.
Field 59 is the “line of business” which tells if the provider participated in the HMO or
PPO, corresponding to the type of file.
The Payor Relations Specialists will work with each payor or payor’s vendor to:
- Ensure a FTP Transmission method set-up is established (if not already done);
- The payor is ready to test or receive the new file types; and
- That we document the purpose of the payor’s use of the par file, so we can ensure the
correct file type is transmitted.
| Healthlink has developed an enhanced par file for payor clients. The new par file
format includes the following improvements: |
- Better par file documentation, and field definitions.
- A placeholder for NPI (national provider identifiers) for
the use of the NPI number.
- Improved hospital privilege data references.
|
- Consistency between par file options at field 59---line
of business (such as PPO or HMO tiers).
- Additional space to accommodate providers with many service
locations.
|
|
Summary of Par Files:
Par File Types:
- Healthlink PPO
- Healthlink HMO (for Open Access II and III)
- Healthlink OA Combined Files (for OA III Only)
Par File Overview and Preferred Transmission Method:
- Full Electronic File
- ASCII Format, Comma-Delimited or Fixed-Width Versions
- Each Par Provider Listed with Multiple Service Addresses for Each Record (as needed)
- Hospital and other facilities are included on the file
- Preferred transmission method – FTP without Encryption (file contains no PHI); Push
to Payor or Payor’s Vendor
National Provider Identifier:
- In the beginning the par file will include placeholders for NPI, but the information
will not be present
- The ten-digit NPI numbers will be populated in the NPI field on all file types, in
the last position on each par file (in case payors are not ready to accept the field
at that time)
New Par File Documentation:
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