What are Companion Guides? Where do I get them?

Question: What are Companion Guides? Where do I get them?

Answer : Companion Guides are health plan-specific versions of the HIPAA-adopted standard Implementation Guides that define the health plans’ requirements for situational data elements, and provide special instructions and further guidance on how the health plan is interpreting the HIPAA Implementation Guides. While HIPAA adopted specific Implementation Guides, Companion Guides have been independently created by some health plans to supplement the HIPAA Implementation Guides and are tailored to meet individual health plans’ particular needs. Companion Guides are not required by HIPAA, and all health plans are not publishing Companion Guides. These guides cannot:
Furnace Filter

IP PBX

True Refrigeration

1-Change the definition, data condition, or use of a data element or segment in a standard.
2-Add any data elements or segments to the maximum defined data set.
3-Use any code or data elements that are either marked “not used” in the standard’s implementation specification or are not in the standard’s implementation specification(s).
4-Change the meaning or intent of the standard’s implementation specification(s).

Companion Guides may be requested from specific health plans that have published them.