Data Entry Centre (DEC)

Click here for DEC FAQs

Some health facilities will continue to produce paper OCF forms rather than interact with the HCAI system via the Web or through a Practice Management System (PMS). These facilities must enrol with HCAI through the Data Entry Centre (DEC). The DEC will receive paper forms from facilities and will enter data from the forms into HCAI, where the electronic versions of forms may be viewed by insurance adjusters via the Web.

Enrolment by Provider Facility

Prior to submitting OCF forms to the DEC, a facility must enrol with HCAI. If the facility later changes its mind about using the DEC, and decides to submit forms via the Web or through a PMS, the facility may change its status from a paper submitter (DEC user) to a web/PMS user.

Deemed Received by Insurer

Health care facilities may submit forms to the DEC by mail or fax. The DEC will determine on the day they receive a document whether or not it is complete (as defined by the SABS). OCF forms that are received after 5:00 p.m. will be deemed to be received on the following business day.

Health care facilities will be notified by the DEC within 2 business days if an OCF form was deemed complete or contained errors or omissions, in which case the form cannot be processed. The facility will receive an error report that will provide sufficient explanation of the errors to allow the facility to resubmit the form with the needed changes.

If a facility has not been notified of errors or omissions after 2 business days, the facility will assume the form has been processed and submitted to the insurer on the day it was received by the DEC.

Insurer Response to forms received via the DEC

Adjusters will review and enter their adjudication decisions in HCAI regardless of the method of submission. The "amend" and "need to discuss" options are not available for DEC forms. All other functionality is the same as for Web-submitted forms.

Before the decision is completed HCAI will alert the adjuster that this is a DEC form and so requires a paper notification of the decision. Once the adjuster has made his/her decision on HCAI, s/he will send a traditional paper response to the facility. If the adjuster neglects to submit a paper (fax-back) decision to the facility, the facility has no way of determining what the decision is apart from contacting the adjuster.

If the form received is an invoice, the adjuster will provide HCAI with the decision, notify the facility and claimant in writing, and issue a cheque using the insurance company's cheque requisition process.

DEC Inquiries

To inquire as to the status of a form that you believe was sent to the DEC, call the DEC directly at 1-866-348-9133 and be prepared with the following information:

1. Health Facility Name
2. Claim Number
3. Policy Number
4. Date of Accident
5. Date of Birth of Claimant

The DEC will advise whether the form was received and if it was successfully sent to the insurer via HCAI or if an error report is outstanding.

If you have received a form via the DEC in HCAI and there is some question as to the date it was received by the DEC, call 1-866-348-9133 and provide the information listed above, plus the following information found on the forms activity log:

1. Date DEC-deemed submitted
2. Date DEC- submitted to HCAI

"Date DEC-deemed submitted" is meant to be the date the DEC received the form, and thus affects the SABS timelines. This date is, however, entered manually. If there is some dispute, you can ask the DEC to double-check the date stamp on the original form.

If the form received is an invoice, the adjuster will provide HCAI with their decision, notify the facility and claimant in writing and issue a cheque using the insurance company’s cheque requisition process.

DEC Inquiries
Inquiries regarding the status of a form or to confirm receipt of a form should be made directly with the data entry centre (DEC).

The DEC may be contacted at 1-866-348-9133
 To request a status of a form please be prepared to answer the following questions:

1. Facility Name
2. Claims Number
3. Policy Number
4. Date of Accident
5. Date of Birth of Claimant

The DEC call centre will advise the adjuster whether the form was received and if it was successfully sent to the insurer via HCAI or if an error report is outstanding.

To request a confirmation of when the DEC received and processed a form on HCAI the following information should be provided:

1. Facility Name
2. Claim number
3. Policy number
4. Date of Accident
5. Date of Birth of Claimant
6. Date DEC-deemed submitted (found on the forms activity log)
7. Date DEC- submitted to HCAI (found on the forms activity log)