HHS Wants Accountancy Boards to Report

State Board Report

September 2010

Efforts continue to clarify the State Accountancy Boards’ responsibility to report to the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Base (HIPDB), housed in the US Department of Health and Human Services. In February Governors were sent a letter requesting their assistance in filling in information gaps in the HIPDB, and then several State Accountancy Boards were directly contacted his spring and informed they must determine whether an action taken against a licensee is related to the delivery of a health care service or item and, if so, report it to the HIPDB. Boards were told they must register with the HIPDB and information could be obtained through http://www.npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov/. As of the end of August, the chart on that Website shows only three State ccountancy Boards in compliance (New Jersey, Utah and Wisconsin).

In response to a letter from NASBA Director of Governmental Relationships Linda Biek challenging the need for the Accountancy Boards to report since they do not license health care providers, Cynthia Grubbs, Director – Division of Practitioner Data Banks, wrote: “The HIPDB collects information about health care practitioners, providers and health care suppliers. For purposes of reporting, the term health care supplier is defined in the regulations (45 CFR Part 61) to capture all final adverse actions relating to the delivery of a health care item or service. It includes ‘any individual or entity…who furnishes, whether directly or indirectly, or provides access to, health care services, supplies, items, or ancillary services.’ Further, the HIPDB Guidebook (page C?3) specifically includes accountants within the scope of this definition.”

The requirement for this reporting is derived from Section 1128E of the Social Security Act that established the HIPDB, Ms. Grubbs explained. She noted that as of April 2010 there were approximately 40 reports on accountants contained in the HIPDB. Information about registration can be obtained from the Web site (noted above) or by calling the customer service center 1?800?767?6732.

Ms. Biek is planning to meet with HHS to discuss what is being required. Some executive directors have told NASBA they do not have the authority to run the reports the HIPDB form requires.