The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has adopted its proposal to rescind the standard unique health plan identifier (HPID) and the “other entity identifier” (OEID), along with related implementation specifications and requirements for their use.  HHS adopted the HPID and OEID in a September 5, 2012 final rule in order to improve the utility of the HIPAA transactions, but subsequently delayed enforcement due to implementation concerns raised by health plan and other stakeholder.  HHS notes that in response to its December 19, 2018 proposed rule, 19 timely commenters, including major health plan and provider associations and vendors, all supported rescinding the HPID and OEID.

HHS states that it will continue to “explore options for a more effective standard unique health plan identifier,” as required by statute.  In the meantime, HHS will deactivate each HPID and OEID record in the Health Plan and Other Entity Enumeration System (HPOES) on behalf of each enumerated entity and will communicate to affected organizations and stakeholders about the deactivation process.