WASHINGTON (Reuters  - August 11, 2000) - The Clinton administration unveiled new standards on Friday for electronically processing health care claims, which will reduce paperwork and save the U.S. health care system billions of dollars annually.

      Currently, insurers require different electronic and paper forms from health care providers filing claims. Under the new regulations, all electronic claims transactions must follow a single standardized format.

      The new rules will ensure that the tens of thousands of health claims that are submitted to insurers every day will be consistent in presenting patient and billing data.

      Providers could still use paper forms, but the simplified process is expected to encourage electronic filing.

      All health care providers will be able to use the electronic format to bill for their services, and all health plans will be required to accept the standard electronic claims, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

      By eliminating inefficient paper forms, the health care industry is expected to save almost $30 billion over the next 10 years.

      President Clinton said the regulations will benefit both patients and health care providers. ``When we save money from the health care system, we succeed in keeping premiums down. When we reduce paperwork requirements on our physicians, they have more time to spend with their patients,'' Clinton said.

      The new regulations are expected to be finalized later this year. Big health plans and health care providers that choose to transmit their forms electronically must comply with the rules within 26 months after they become final. Small health plans will have an extra year to comply.

      HHS will establish national identification numbers later in the year for employers and health care providers to speed claims processing.

      The Department will also take steps to make electronic health care data secure, and protect the privacy of patients' medical and health insurance records.