EDS , the Plano Texas-based provider of strategy, implementation and hosting services, today announced a new release of its MetaVance Administration and Finance System — MetaVance 2.1, to delivering Web-enabled health care transactions and the latest in Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to health care organizations.
This latest version of MetaVance has been introduced in conjunction with Emphesys, an online health plan offered by Humana Inc., the Louisville, Ky.-based health benefits firm.
“Humana is recognized as an innovative services company in digital health care, and it helped EDS define the key functions and priorities of MetaVance 2.1 as the new version was being developed,” says Jeff Kelly, president, Centralized Systems Services for EDS’ Information Solutions line of business.
“Humana created Emphesys, the new digital health plan, with the MetaVance system as the core processing engine that will eventually support more than five million of Humana’s members,” says Bruce Goodman, the company’s chief information officer.
“Working with us, EDS took MetaVance to the next level for its clients and customers, producing MetaVance 2.1. The result is our members, as well as providers, employers and brokers, gain real-time access to important information they need via the Web,” he explains.
EDS explains that MetaVance’s administrative-processing engine is an integral part of Emphesys, and the benefits of the latest version are two-fold:
- The system is Web-enabled, which helps payor organizations process health care transactions faster and more efficiently. This enables real-time interaction, increased control of administrative costs and improved customer satisfaction.
- MetaVance 2.1 provides HIPAA-ready transactions to help health care organizations upgrade systems to comply with HIPAA regulations that will mandate standardization of electronic medical transactions in the U.S. by October 2002.
With the enhancements MetaVance 2.1 capabilities include:
- Facilitating Web-enabled e-commerce: Through a relationship with eBusiness Integration solutions provider, SeeBeyond, MetaVance allows members to request ID cards, provider directories, select primary care physicians, makes claims status inquiries and inquires. Providers can submit claims, request authorizations and submit referral requests.
- Advancing HIPAA-readiness: MetaVance 2.1 supports the ANSI X.12 enrollment and claims transactions, as well as inquiries, authorizations and referrals.
- Supporting pharmacy claims: Automatically updates benefit limits and integrates claims data from a pharmacy benefits manager.
- Improving care management: Enables better quality of care through care management tools and the delivery of complete information on medical-related treatments and expenses across the continuum of care for each covered life.
“Adopting digital health care transforms a client’s business,” says Dr. Charles Saunders, president of EDS’ Health Care Global Industry Group.
“Web-enabled services create fundamental improvements that reduce costs and offer users real-time access to health care information. Humana’s Emphesys stands out as a great example of game-changing innovation.”