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1.
Why was the Cooperative Exchange Association established and
what are the goals of the organization?
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The Cooperative Exchange was established to expand electronic healthcare transactions among participants in the health care industry.
The goals of the organization are to:
- Allow payers to establish a connection with one or more Cooperative Exchange members in order to gain access to an expanded provider base. This allows a payer to maximize its resources, while providing broader availability of its transactions.
- Increase competition.
- Shorten the timeline within which all healthcare participants can realize an ROI on HIPAA initiatives.
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2. What companies hold membership in the Cooperative Exchange?
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The following companies are members of the Cooperative Exchange:
- Affiliated Network Services, LLC (ANS)
- Availity
- Claimsnet.com
- ENS-Electronic Network Systems, Inc.
- Gateway EDI, Inc.
- HDM Corp.
- Medavant Health
- SSI Group
- THIN, Inc.
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3. What are the criteria for becoming a member?
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A member organization must be a clearinghouse as defined in the federal HIPAA statutes and regulations;
A member organization must have a direct electronic connection with at least one healthcare payer for the transmission of HIPAA mandated transactions and be willing to receive transactions for that payer from other Cooperative Exchange members;
A member organization will be represented by a delegate that must be a senior executive of the organization, with authorization to participate in the Cooperative Exchange activities and exercise the member’s vote on such matters as are presented at Cooperative Exchange meetings and activities;
The member organization must agree to abide by the charter of the Cooperative Exchange as stated below:
“To provide open access for member organizations in order to promote electronic transactions fro the healthcare industry by ensuring optimal quality, value and functionality. This will be accomplished through enhanced connectivity,
a strong value proposition, superior quality, outstanding service, and education.”
Membership dues are based on a member's gross annual revenues:
| Level Gross Annual |
Representatives |
Annual Dues |
| Small Less than $10M |
1 Voting Rep |
$2500 |
| Medium $10M - $50M |
1 Voting Rep |
$5000 |
| Large $50M+ |
2 Voting Reps |
$7500 |
| 1st Year (incentive) |
N/A 1 Voting Rep |
$2500 |
| Supporting Organization* |
1 Non-Voting Rep |
$2500 |
*(Shares goals but does not meet membership requirements) |
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4.
What are the criteria for becoming a member?
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Benefits Include:
- Networking with members of the industry
- Take advantage of member benefits, such as discounts for ancillary services, as they become available.
- Provide a forum to discuss issues that impact the clearinghouse industry
- Promote initiatives that improve the clearinghouse industry.
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5. Do any payers or other organizations participate in the Cooperative Exchange?
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Currently, they do not become official members of the Cooperative Exchange. However, payers/providers are the key focus of our member companies and the Cooperative Exchange welcomes input and feedback to enable the organization to promote greater efficiencies within the healthcare industry.
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6. Will the Cooperative Exchange tackle any other industry issues such as standards, HIPAA regulations?
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Yes. Whenever appropriate the Cooperative Exchange will act as a forum to discuss issues that impact the industry as a whole. |
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7. Does the Cooperative Exchange comply with antitrust laws and regulations?
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Yes, the association has independent anti-trust counsel and is committed to compliance with the appropriate laws and regulations. The organization's formal statement of policy is as follows:
It is the policy of Cooperative Exchange to comply strictly with the antitrust laws and regulations of the United States applicable to meetings, programs, or activities. Any discussion or conduct in violation of such laws or regulations are contrary to Cooperative Exchange policy and must be avoided.
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