Remettra FAQs
Health Plans are our client. Following are frequently asked questions about Remettra services for the payor.

Can the group health plan conduct the electronic funds transfer portion of the standard transaction with a financial institution without restriction?
  • Yes, because it contains no protected health information. The protected health information contained in the electronic remittance advice portion of the transaction is not necessary either to conduct the funds transfer or to forward the transactions.
When can a group health plan transmit the portion of the transactions containing protected health information (remittance advice) through a financial institution?
  • The standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information; Final Rule; 45 CFR; Section 164.501 (page 82496), state: "a covered entity may not disclose the protected health information (remittance advice) to a financial institution for these purposes [electronic funds transfer]. A covered entity may transmit the portions of the transactions containing protected health information through a financial institution if the protected health information is encrypted so it can be read only by the intended recipient [Healthcare Providers (835) or Health Plans (820)]. In such cases, no protected health information is disclosed and the financial institution is acting solely as a conduit for individually identifiable data."
Won’t the group health plan lose the float from their pay period?
  • "The savings you will realize from using Direct Deposit far outweigh any savings you now have from check ‘float’." For example, "NACHA: The Electronic Payments Association estimates that you can save as much as $1.25 per check."
  • "For direct deposit and other credit payments, float represents only a small revenue source compared to the cost savings achieved by the reduction of paper-related expenses."
How can healthcare providers receive their remittance advice electronically?
  • The Remettra e-mail notification of payment also will contain a "hot-link" button that will take providers directly to a login screen.
  • Once providers have logged in, their remittance advices will be listed with the most current on top.
  • To retrieve their remittance advice, providers click on the one they want and choose to either download it for import into their accounts receivable software or print it for a hard copy.
What are the primary advantages of direct deposit for health plans?
  • The primary advantage of direct deposit is a significantly lower operating expense, that is made possible by:
  • Decreased paper handling
  • Increased staff productivity
  • Improved cash management
  • Streamlined administration
  • Reduced accounting expense
  • Lower financial institution fees
What are the primary advantages of electronic remittance advices for health plans?
  • The primary advantage of electronic remittance advices is a significantly lower operating expense that is made possible by:
  • Streamlined administration
  • Reduced operating expense
  • Decreased paper handling
  • Increased staff productivity
  • Increased privacy of patient information
  • Convenience
  • Greater safety