MEDfx Gets Michigan Designation as SSA Disability eClaims Tech Provider

The Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN), the official state-designated entity for statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE), has selected MEDfx, a Warwick, R.I.-based provider of software and services, as a pre-approved Social Security Administration (SSA) Disability eClaims technology provider. MiHIN will be offering MEDfx as one solution choice to hospitals and health systems through sub-state HIEs across the state of Michigan, according to an MEDfx statement.

The SSA eHealth Exchange Gateway enables transmission of medical records for disability claims between the Social Security Administration and participating healthcare institutions across the state of Michigan. Through MiHIN’s connection to the eHealth Exchange, sub-state HIE’s and hospitals enabled with MEDfx can communicate patient records in response to the electronic requests from the SSA, the vendor says.

[Related: U.S. to Operate 26 State Health Exchanges with Little Local Help .]

The MiHIN is a non-profit public/private collaboration, established by cooperative agreement between the Michigan State Health Information Exchange program and the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology, a federal agency. Developed by and for physicians, hospital systems, health insurers and privacy officers throughout Michigan, MiHIN has been formally designated as Michigan’s statewide HIE. The purpose of the MiHIN is to facilitate the secure electronic exchange of patient health information in order to improve healthcare quality, efficiency and patient safety while reducing healthcare costs.

“The ability to transmit disability to claims information electronically will be of immense benefit to MiHIN participants,” comments CEO of MEDfx, Colin Berry. “We expect our eHealth Exchange SSA Gateway will bring a new era of efficiency and quality to those physicians, insurers, facilities and institutions who take part in the MiHIN HIE system.”

Healthcare stakeholders in Michigan can sign up for the SSA eClaims service through MiHIN, and be introduced to MEDfx as a MiHIN-approved vendor to discuss the benefits of the eHealth Exchange SSA Gateway, according to the MEDfx statement. The MEDfx eHealth Exchange SSA Gateway allows any MiHIN stakeholder to “plug in” directly into the national system and connect to the SSA for data transfer.

Zarna Patel is a staff writer for InformationWeek's Financial Services brands, which include Bank Systems & Technology, Insurance & Technology and Wall Street & Technology. She received her B.A. in English and journalism from Rutgers University College of Arts and Sciences in ... View Full Bio