Washington Claiming its own "mission-critical" internal systems have been tested and renovated in preparation for 2000, the Health Care Financing Administration is offering guides to help providers ready their own software systems.

Available on HCFA's Web site (www.hcfa.gov/Y2K), the guides explain how to identify systems vital to business operations, assess Y2K-readiness, test systems and develop contingency plans in case of unexpected problems.

HCFA administrator Nancy-Ann Min DeParle said providers "must take timely action to ensure that their claims will reach us successfully, so that we in turn can continue to provide proper compensation. The Medicare program will be ready," she said, "and individual providers must be ready, too."-K.S.