CMS database to track payer ACA compliance, consumer inquiries

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced this week that it plans to build a Health Insurance Assistance Database to analyze inquiries and reports of payer activities by consumers related implementation of the Affordable Care Act (Source: “CMS Database to Aid Consumers, Track Payer Compliance with Reform Law,” Health Data Management, July 28, 2011).

Plans for the database were announced in the Federal Registry.

Noting that it receives hundreds of consumer inquiries each month, CMS said that “a system to collect, track and store consumer information is urgently needed in order to accomplish successful case management to ensure that the information, coverage and health care needs of consumers are addressed fairly and in a timely fashion."