HHS has announced via a web posting that its adopting without change its January 10, 2012 interim final rule with comment period adopting standards for health care electronic funds transfers (EFT) and remittance advice transaction under HIPAA. HHS did not adopt any changes to the regulation in response to public comments, so “industry implementation efforts should be underway for the January 1, 2014 compliance date.” The HHS announcement points out that there are no prohibitions against using the EFT standards before January 1, 2014; indeed, entities are encouraged “to use the standards with willing trading partners because of the benefits and efficiencies that can be enjoyed by both health plans and providers.”