106 STAT. 4558 PUBLIC LAW 102-573—OCT. 29,1992

"(1) to assess and identify administrative barriers that
hinder the timely payment for services delivered by private
contract health services providers to individual Indians by the
Service and the Indian Health Service Fiscal Intermediary-

"(2) to assess and identify the impact of such delayed
payments upon the personal credit histories of individual
Indians who have been treated by such providers; and

"(3) to determine the most efficient and effective means
of improving the Service's contract health services payment
system and ensuring the development of appropriate consumer
protection policies to protect individual Indians who receive
authorized services from private contract health services provid-
ers from billing and collection practices, including the develop-
ment of materials and programs explaining patients' rights
and responsibilities,
"(b) The study required by subsection (a) shall—

"(1) assess the impact of the existing contract health serv-
ices regulations and policies upon the ability of the Service
and the Indian Health Service Fiscal Intermediary to process,
on a timely and efficient basis, the payment of biUs submitted
by private contract health services providers;

"(2) assess the financial and any other burdens imposed
upon individual Indians and private contract health services
providers by delayed payments;

"(3) survey the policies and practices of collection agencies
used by contract health services providers to collect payments
for services rendered to individual Indians;

"(4) identify appropriate changes in Federal policies,
administrative procedures, and regulations, to eliminate the
problems experienced by private contract health services provid-
ers and individual Indians as a result of delayed payments;
and

"(5) compare the Service's payment processing require-
ments with private insurance claims processing requirements
to evaluate the systemic differences or similarities employed
by the Service and private insurers.

Reports. w(c) Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment

of this section, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress a
report that includes—

"(1) a detailed description of the study conducted pursuant
to this section; and

"(2) a discussion of the findings and conclusions of such
study.

"PROMPT ACTION ON PAYMENT OF CLAIMS

25 USC 1621s. "SEC. 220. (a) The Service shall respond to a notification of

a claim by a provider of a contract care service with either an
individual purchase order or a denial of the claim within 5 working
days after the receipt of such notification.

"(b) If the Service fails to respond to a notification of a claim
in accordance with subsection (a), the Service shall accept as valid
the claim submitted by the provider of a contract care service.

u(c) The Service shall pay a completed contract care service
claim within 30 days after completion of the claim.