Alberta Health and Wellness is improving the way we serve clients. We've developed H-Link, a way of communicating electronically with people who conduct business electronically with Alberta Health and Wellness - people like physicians who claim fees, employers who pay for their employees' health care premiums, or ambulatory care vendors. H-Link is an easy, fast, efficient way of doing business for both Alberta Health and Wellness and our clients.
If your organization or business wants to know if you qualify to use H-link (to become an "accredited submitter") with Alberta Health and Wellness, read on.
What is H-Link?
H-Link is an electronic communication system that connects clients' personal computers to Alberta Health and Wellness' mainframe. Currently, H-link is used to send claim and billing information between Alberta Health and Wellness and its clients.
Who would use H-Link?
Service providers (such as physicians, chiropractors, dentists, etc.), service bureaus who submit claims on behalf of service providers, and employers who offer group health care insurance coverage to their employees. To submit transactions using H-Link, users must receive accreditation from Alberta Health and Wellness.
How much does H-Link cost?
Alberta Health and Wellness does not charge clients to become accredited submitters or to send or retrieve information via H-Link; however, the cost of acquiring appropriate communication software and hardware is each submitter's responsibility. To dial into H-Link, normal telephone charges apply. Dialing local is free. If you are dialing outside of the Edmonton local boundary, you are responsible for the long distance charges.
How do you become an accredited submitter?
To become accredited for submission of claims, you need to complete two forms and return them to Alberta Health and Wellness:
- Application for Submitter Role (Form AHC2095) and
- Submitter/Client Relationship for Electronic Claim Submission (Form AHC2096).
Accredited submitters are also required to carry out the responsibilities described in our H-Link Manual. To request further information including copies of the accreditation forms, contact Alberta Health and Wellness using the methods available in More Information.
Applications are reviewed according to predetermined requirements.
What does accreditation give you?
Accreditation:
- grants the prospective applicant a submitter role and a submitter prefix,
- gives the applicant the ability to send and retrieve files to and from Alberta Health and Wellness,
- allows the applicant to send specific types of transactions first in a test environment, then in a production environment,
- identifies which reports, letters and other data the applicant can retrieve electronically from Alberta Health and Wellness,
- the accreditation process is complete after testing has completed successfully.
The accreditation process does not accredit claim billing and reconciliation software or the data content of claim files you send to Alberta Health and Wellness. As an accredited submitter, you are responsible for data verification, billing and reconciliation software, as well as any hardware that may be required.
Is there a minimum limit on the number of claims per batch?
No, you can submit one claim if you wish.
Do service providers need to become an accredited submitter or can they stay with their existing submitter?
The choice is yours. A service provider may chose to become an accredited submitter or have an accredited submitter send claims on their behalf.
What are the technical requirements for Using H-Link?
Alberta Health and Wellness does not charge accredited submitters for using H-Link. However, accredited submitters are responsible for the cost of acquiring hardware, software and all related set-up and usage charges. To effectively communicate with Alberta Health and Wellness, the following technical specifications should be followed:
Software Requirements
- Web browser Netscape Navigator 4.x or Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater
- Windows 3.1, Windows 95, 98 or 2000 and Windows NT. Not recommended for Windows XP Home or Mac Emulation
- For claims transmission, claims billing software will be required
Recommended Hardware Requirements
- Pentium personal computer (166 megahertz) with Windows 98
- 16 RAM to 32 RAM
- A Hayes compatible modem with a baud line speed of 33.3 KBPS
- A security card issued by Alberta Health and Wellness and used for logging in to the H-Link network
- Telephone line.
Do you need an internet account in order to use H-Link?
No, even if you have an Internet account, you will not be able to link to Alberta Health and Wellness' Intranet H-Link site. To address security issues, you must dial direct to H-Link via the modem. But you do need Netscape Navigator which is an internet browsing package, to view our Intranet site.
Where can I buy Netscape Navigator and how much does it cost?
For Internet users, Netscape Navigator Standard Edition can be downloaded for free from their home page at http://www.home.netscape.com. For those without Internet, you may purchase Netscape at most retail outlets that sell computer software or by dialing toll free 1-800-307-3360.
May I design my own claims billing software and, if so, does it have to be approved by Alberta Health and Wellness?
Yes, you may design your own billing software. Alberta Health and Wellness will not approve or support your billing software. All files sent to Alberta Health and Wellness need to be in a format as described in the H-Link Manual. To obtain an H-Link Manual, please contact the Alberta Health and Wellness H-Link Help Desk using the methods available in More Information.
Can I use a US Robotics modem?
Yes, US Robotics modems are compatible with Hayes. While the minimum baud line speed is 14.4 KBPS you will be much happier (speed of transmissions/uploads) with a 33.3 KBPS (this is the speed that Alberta Health and Wellness' modems run on at present).
How can I test my H-Link connection?
After you have completed your application forms, Alberta Health and Wellness will send you a Submitter Startup Package. This package will include a diskette that allows you to load our H-Link Startup Page. Remember, you must have Netscape Browser installed on your PC before you can access the H-Link Startup Page.
From the Startup Page, you will connect via modem to our H-Link Intranet site. At this point, you enter the Security ID provided to you by Alberta Health and Wellness. Once your ID is validated by our Security Router, you will be able to send your file, and retrieve claim and other information, directly to and from our mainframe system.
More Information
The following information can be very quickly downloaded to your computer from this site. To download these files to a diskette or hard drive, complete the following steps:
- Double-click on the file of interest;
- When prompted, select the drive you wish to store the file and enter the name you wish to give the file. The file you are saving is an executable self-extracting file.
- Once download is complete, end or minimize your Internet window.
- To decompress this file, open Windows Explorer and locate saved file,
- Double-click on file name,
- When prompted by the WinZip Self-Extractor Window, select the Unzip button,
- Once complete, double-click on the file to view.
For additional information, you may direct your request(s) in either of the following methods:
Write:
Alberta Health and Wellness
Program Services Division
Claims Branch, Systems Support
Box 1360, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2N3
Attention: Team Leader, Systems Support
Call:
Within Edmonton: 644-7643
Outside Edmonton: 310-0000, then 644-7643
E-mail: health.hlink@gov.ab.ca
