HIPAA Message Structure

HIPAA messages have a message structure that indicates how data elements are organized and related to each other for a particular electronic data interchange (EDI) transaction.

Java CAPS Object Type Definitions

In the Java CAPS, message structures are defined as Object Type Definitions (OTDs).

Each OTD consists of the following elements:

• Physical Hierarchy – The predefined way in which envelopes, segments, and data elements are organized to describe a particular HIPAA EDI transaction.

• Delimiters – The specific predefined characters used to mark the beginning and end of envelopes, segments, and data elements.

• Properties – The characteristics of a data element, such as the length of each element, default values, and indicators that specify attributes of a data part, for example, whether it is required, optional, or repeating.

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  Note –

  Included with the HIPAA PM product is the HIPAA OTD Library. See the HIPAA OTD Library User’s Guide for details.

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HIPAA OTD Usage

The Transaction Set structure of an invoice sent from one trading partner (TP) to another defines the header, trailer, segments, and data elements required by invoice transactions. The HIPAA OTD for a specific version includes Transaction Set structures for each of the transactions available in that version.

You can use these structures as provided, or customize them to suit your business needs. There is an OTD message structure for each HIPAA transaction.