Ohio is a test state for a new project unveiled by a group of insurance companies.
The project is called Availity and it is designed to settle insurance claims in real-time right at the doctor's office.
Availity is described by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) as a Multi-Payer Web Portal for providers of health care.
Participating insurance companies like Humana and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield allow their member's health care providers to immediately access information to determine a patient's eligibility, benefits or to settle claims instantly.
The pilot program started in Ohio on the first of November. It will run for a year and then be evaluated for its long-term use.
The goal is to save time and expenses for medical practices and to streamline the health care claims process.
The program is free to doctors and to patients.
