Authentidate calls new deal 'feather in our cap'

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. - In a move designed to deepen its ability to transmit patient information electronically and speed up claims processing for providers, Authentidate struck a deal in August with EDS, Ross Perot's old company. EDS, which among other things processes Medicaid and Medicare claims, hired Authentidate to submit supporting claims documentation electronically to California's Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. Authentidate is a holding company and a leader in e-CMN technology. "This is a feather in our cap that a big company like EDS would select us for a job like this," said Paul Skinner, Authentidate's vice president of sales and client services. Company officials said they hope to roll the new product out with other Medicaid programs and private insurers. The new partnership with EDS is right in line with Authentidate's mission to create products that "zap" glitches encountered by HMEs and other homecare companies while they transmit electronic claims, Skinner said. The vice president called the arrangement with EDS a "small but important step in electronic medical records." Providers submit most claims electronically, but about 20% require doctor notes and other supporting documentation. Providers typically print this documentation out--a slow, manual process--and submit a hardcopy to the payer. Now, with Medi-Cal at least, Authentidate customers can submit even these claims electronically in a HIPAA- compliant format. The result: Providers become more efficient and speed up their cash flow, said Joan Rothman, Authentidate's vice president of marketing.