CDA Essentials 2015 • Volume 2 • Issue 1 - page 13

13 Volume2 Issue1 |
CDA at Work
ElectronicPaymentsand
Statements
Several carriers aremovingaway from
mailingpaper cheques and statements
todentists for assignedclaims, toward
direct deposit andonline statements.
Somecarriershaveofferedpaperless
transactions for some timebut the
recent push follows a rise inpostal rates.
Althoughcarriers
promote thebenefitsof direct
deposit andelectronic
statements,manyofficesprefer
paper-basedprocesses. CDA
hasbeenencouragingcarriers
toprovidedentistswith
incentives for switching
topaperless transactions.
For example, SunLifeFinancial
providespatient plan informationand
predetermination resultson theirwebsitewhereonline
statements areaccessed.
Themove toelectronicprocessingwill continue inall facets
of business anddentistry. Acommon factor inall these
services is an increased relianceonemail andup-to-date
computer equipment toensure security. Dentists should
anticipate thesechanges andconsider:
• a separateworkemail account
• abankaccount for direct deposit payments from
carriers that is separate from themainpracticeaccount
• separateusernames andpasswords for all staff
members
NewCDAPracticeSupportServicesWebsite
CDAhas simplified the subscriptionprocess for CDAnet and
ITRANSClaimServicebycreatinga self-servewebsite for
dentists andoffice staff: theCDAPracticeSupport Services
website(https://services.cda-adc.ca).
Thenewwebsiteenablesdentists tobeadded toanoffice
and set up to transmit e-claimswithinaday. Although
insurancecompanies still needa fewdays toadd the
dentist to their systems, e-claims set-up isnowquickand
simple.
TheCDAPracticeSupport Serviceswebsite isbeing
introducedacrossCanada inaphasedapproach:
• November 2014:
AB
• March2015:
SK,MB, NS, NB, PE,
NL, NU, NT, YK
• April 2015: BC, QC
• May2015: ON
Look foraCDA
communication (e.g.,
letter, faxoremail)
inadvanceof thesedateswith
instructionsonhow tovalidateyour
account.
CDADigital IDs
CDADigital IDswill replace the ITRANSdigital certificates
andwill becompatiblewith the insurance industry’sCCDWS
software.
Digital certificateshelpensure
that fraudsters cannot send
claimsusingadentist’sname
and ID. TheCDADigital IDcan
beusedwithboth ITRANSand
CCDWS, simplifying theclaims
process for thedental office
whilemaintaining security.
Dentistswill need theCDADigital IDwhen:
• their current ITRANScertificateexpires
• theyopt touse theCCDWS
• adentist startsusing ITRANS inanoffice for thefirst time.
In 2014, there were many changes to the
way electronic dental claims (e-claims) are
transmitted or administered. Driven by a
variety of factors—claims processors’ desire
to reduce costs, retirement of old technology,
andCDA’s goal ofmaking things simple for
dental offices—the following developments
couldhavean impacton thewayyourdental
office processes claims.
WHAT’SNEW in Electronic Claims?
ByGeoff Valentine, CDAManager of Health Informatics Services