ACORD, the nonprofit global data standards organization, and DISA, the organization for development of cross-industry electronic business interchange standards, announce that the two organizations would consolidate under the ACORD banner.

The merger of the two international standards organizations was done to benefit members of both organizations, as well as the various industries their standards support.

“This merger allows us to support all insurance standards including healthcare, as well as introducing new industry sectors to ACORD,” says Gregory Maciag, ACORD president and CEO. “ACORD standards cover all lines of insurance business including property & casualty, life, and reinsurance. DISA brings great strength in healthcare and cross-industry standards, so together we expand our standards family.”

“We're very pleased to become part of one of the largest standards development organizations in the world,” says Jerry Connors, DISA president. “This is a win-win for all sides.”

Mergers have long been a part of ACORD's growth. In 2001, ACORD and European standards body WISe merged, with ACORD assuming responsibility for reinsurance standards and increasing its global footprint. Today's DISA merger follows in the same tradition.

DISA serves as the secretariat for ASC X12, the Accredited Standards Committee that develops and maintains cross-industry e-commerce standards that improve global business process interoperability. Current ACORD Standards initiatives in long-term care, employee benefits, and workers' compensation will benefit from the synergy with DISA and ASC X12, whose members represent insurance including healthcare, as well as the transportation, finance, government, supply chain, and communication/controls sectors.

“This union will build on DISA's longtime support of ASC X12 and enable us to serve their community better than ever,” says Connors. “In addition, relationships between the insurance industry and the other sectors ASC X12 supports will become more efficient.”

“Standards organizations around the globe are already collaborating in areas like architecture, translation tools, message certification, and other utilities,” says Maciag. “This merger will mean we can make progress faster and increase standards implementation across the board.”

ASC X12 and ACORD are also developing a plan for partnership, with ASC X12 members to become subscriber members of ACORD while retaining membership in ASC X12.

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ACORD, DISA Announce Merger of Standards Organizations Under ACORD Banner

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