BCBSMT Contracts with OpenNetwork for HIPAA Compliance

Anticipating eventual HIPAA compliance requirements, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT, Helena) has selected OpenNetwork Technologies' (Clearwater, FL) DirectorySmart platform to secure its Web application and enforce its online security policy.

According to Joe Fleming, e-business executive, BCBSMT, the health insurer was looking for a good role-based security model for its members, subscribers, providers and employers. "We were looking for a vendor who had a very strong presence in the healthcare industry," explains Fleming. "OpenNetwork has sold its product to a number of other Blue plans with good result, so we knew it had staying power."

DirectorySmart will enable single sign-ons to BCBSMT's protected Web site. Based on their sign-ons, visitors to the site will be assigned a role, either member, subscriber, provider or employer. Such a process will protect claims status, claim inquiries, benefits inquiries, eligibility inquiries and all transactions with information behind them, Fleming explains.

BCBSMT will use DirectorySmart on the front-end of all applications it adds to its Web site. It also plans to use DirectorySmart to secure its Lotus Notes installation. According to Fleming, BCBSMT hopes to have the implementation of DirectorySmart completed by the fourth quarter of this year.