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USAS and CAPPS Financials Invoice Number Field Requirements

FPP E.023

Protected Health Information Prohibition

Information considered to be protected health information (PHI) under the Privacy Rule in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) must not be submitted to the Comptroller’s office in USAS, CAPPS or by any other method.

PHI under HIPAA relates to:

  • An individual’s past, present or future physical or mental health or condition.
  • A provision of health care to the individual.
  • A past, present or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual.

    –OR–

  • Any full or partial information such as name, address, birth date or Social Security number that identifies or can be used to identify an individual.

In addition to not submitting PHI in the USAS and CAPPS INVOICE NUMBER and DESCRIPTION fields, this prohibition includes PHI on any forms or other documentation submitted to the Comptroller’s office in support of a claim for payments for medical services or prescriptions.

The Comptroller’s office understands your agency’s need to provide payees with information for payment reconciliation. Agencies should work with health care providers to identify alternative methods of providing PHI information. Contact the Comptroller’s privacy officer at (512) 936-4365 or jeffrey.knoll@cpa.texas.gov with questions.

Note: Agencies must also properly mark the confidentiality indicator (CONF field in USAS; CONFIDENTIAL INDICATOR field in CAPPS Financials) on confidential transactions to protect payee confidentiality. See USAS and CAPPS Financials Confidentiality Indicator (FPP E.045).

See the Texas Department of State Health Services Content Related to HIPAA for more information.