IBC approves plans to reintroduce HCAI sometime after Summer of 2009

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has approved plans to move forward with the re-introduction of the Health Claims for Auto Insurance (HCAI) electronic data-exchange system, although re-introduction will not happen before testing begins in the summer of 2009.
HCAI is a Cdn$20-million electronic claims system intended to link participants involved in Ontario’s auto insurance system, including insurers, health care providers and the provincial government.
At the request of the IBC, Ontario’s provincial insurance regulator, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), suspended operation of the system in April 2008. IBC said in a letter to FSCO at the time that HCAI users were having difficulty accessing and using the electronic database.
FSCO identified the resumption of HCAI as one of its priorities for 2008.
“In order to ensure that HCAI is re-introduced only under the highest standards of quality control, third-party audits will be performed at several points as part of the remediation process, and the system will undergo stringent stress testing prior to re-launch,” the IBC said in a Nov. 24, 2008 letter to stakeholders.
“For insurers and/or health care facilities that require an environment for testing and training purposes, such an environment will be made available well in advance of the re-introduction of the live system. This test environment should be available sometime during the summer of 2009.”
IBC says regular updates on HCAI’s progress will be provided at www.hcaiinfo.ca.
Educational outreach will continue to be performed by Viivi Riis (Sr. Health Analyst) for the health care industry and Allison Brand (Sr. Business Advisor) for insurers.
“We appreciate the continued patience of all stakeholders as the re-introduction plan is implemented,” the IBC says in its letter to stakeholders.