Acronyms
ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act
AHCPR
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
AHIMA
American Health Information Management Association
AIDS
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
AMA
American Medical Association
ANSI
American National Standards Institute
ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials
ATM
Automated teller machine
BCBSA
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
CABG
Coronary artery bypass graft
CHMIS
Community Health Management Information System
CPR
Computer-based patient record
DRG
Diagnosis-related group
DVA
Department of Veterans Affairs
EDS
Electronic Data Systems
EFT
Electronic funds transfer
ERISA
Employment Retirement Insurance Security Act
ESRD
End-stage renal disease
FCRA
Fair Credit Reporting Act
FOIA
Freedom of Information Act
FOIL
Freedom of Information Law
HCFA
Health Care Financing Administration
HDO
Health database organization
HIC
Health Insurance Claim (number, for Medicare beneficiaries)
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
HMO
Health maintenance organization
HSA
Health Security Act
ICD-9-CM
International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, clinical modifications (for use in the United States)
ID
Personal identifier
IOM
Institute of Medicine
IPA
Independent practice association
IRB
Institutional review board
IRS
Internal Revenue Service
MEDTEP
Medical Treatment Effectiveness Program (of AHCPR)
NAHDO
National Association of Health Data Organizations
NAIC
National Association of Insurance Commissioners
NCHS
National Center for Health Statistics
NRC
National Research Council
OTA
Office of Technology Assessment
PHCCCC
Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
PIC
Personal identification code
PIN
Personal identification number
PORT
Patient Outcomes Research Team (in MEDTEP program)
PPO
Preferred provider organization
PPRC
Physician Payment Review Commission
PPSC
Privacy Protection Study Commission
PRO
(Medicare) Peer Review Organization
QA/QI
Quality assurance/quality improvement
RHIG
Rochester Health Information Group
SPARCS
Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System
SSA
Social Security Administration
SSN
Social Security number
TPA
Third-party administrator
TPP
Third-party payer
UB-82
Uniform Bill (1982) (a HCFA-mandated claim form for inpatient care)
UB-92
Uniform Bill (1992)
UCDS
Uniform Clinical Data Set
UHDDS
Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set
UPIN
Universal physician identification number
USDHEW
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
USDHHS
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
VHCA
Vermont Health Care Authority
WEDI
Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange
