Which HIHs Offer esMD Gateway Services to Providers?

What is a Health Information Handler (HIH)?
Any organization that handles health information on behalf of a provider is an HIH. Many providers already use HIHs to submit claims, provide electronic health record systems, etc. These HIHs are often called claim clearinghouses, release of information vendors, Health Information Exchanges, Electronic Health Record vendors, etc. Some HIHs are beginning to offer Electronic Submission of Medical Documentation (esMD) gateway services as well.

Which HIHs have been CERTIFIED by CMS to offer esMD gateway services to providers?

• HealthPort effective September 2011
• IVANS effective September 2011
• NaviNet effective September 2011
• RISARC effective September 2011
• MRO effective October 2011
• Health IT Plus effective November 2011
• Medical Electronic Attachment (MEA) January 2012
• eSolutions January 2012
• ApeniMED January 2012
• IOD January 2012
• Cobius February 2012
• Proficient Health May 2012
• SSI May 2012
• Rycan Technologies, Inc. July 2012
• Craneware August 2012
• MediConnect August 2012

The following HIHs have begun to build esMD gateways, expect to test them with CMS in January of 2012 and plan to go live in Summer/Fall 2012:

• One Source Document Management

The following HIHs have begun to build esMD gateways, expect to test them with CMS in February of 2012 and plan to go live in Fall/Winter 2012:

• H&H Medical Records, LLC
• LOISS
• MDclick
• MedFORCE Technologies
• SunCoast RHIO, Inc.
• VerismaSystems

The following HIH have entered into a partnering agreement with a certified HIH, and have started to market esMD gateway services to providers with their own brand name:

• ECC Technologies' RAPID Network
• The Wellington Group, LLC

Can other HIHs offer esMD gateway services to providers?
Any health information handler (HIH) that meets the following criteria can participate in the esMD program:

1. The HIH has a contract with one or more Medicare providers to handle their health information,
2. One or more of the HIH's providers have received a medical documentation request from a Medicare Recovery Auditor or MAC,
3. The HIH has built or is building a CONNECT-compatible gateway, 
4. The HIH is willing to sign (or has signed) a Data Use and Reciprocal Service Agreement (DURSA) with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT, and
5. The HIH is willing to obtain an identity certificate and communicate that certificate key to the CMS esMD gateway contractor and ONC contractor.

HIHs that would like to become an esMD HIH please click the link below "Sign up to become an esMD HIH"

Does CMS pay esMD HIHs?
No.

Does CMS contract with esMD HIHs?
No.