The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), a group that represents theinterests of the nation's largest employers on health, retirementand compensation issues, says self-insured health care plans should not be requiredto obtain health plan identifiers (HPIDs).

The Committee decried the new rule which was put in place by theCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act, saying that requiringall health plans to acquire the 10 digit identifiers has caused“administrative confusion, uncertainty and consternation” for itsmembers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)initially set a deadline for large group health plans to obtain anHPID by November 5, 2014 but then issued an order indefinitelydelaying enforcement amidst widespread concern expressed bybusinesses. The 60-day public comment period allowing forbusinesses to voice their concerns to HHS about the rule endstoday.

Annette Guarisco Fildes, president of ERIC, suggested thebacklash should make officials consider completely doing away withHPIDs, which were first developed as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of1996.

“The HPID is a 20-year-old solution to a problem that no longerexists, and it ought to be scrapped entirely,” Fildes said in thestatement.