ACORD, the nonprofit global data standards organization, andDISA, the organization for development of cross-industry electronicbusiness interchange standards, announce that the two organizationswould consolidate under the ACORD banner.

The merger of the two international standards organizations wasdone to benefit members of both organizations, as well as thevarious industries their standards support.

"This merger allows us to support all insurance standardsincluding healthcare, as well as introducing new industry sectorsto ACORD," says Gregory Maciag, ACORD president and CEO. "ACORDstandards cover all lines of insurance business including property& casualty, life, and reinsurance. DISA brings great strengthin healthcare and cross-industry standards, so together we expandour standards family."

"We're very pleased to become part of one of the largeststandards development organizations in the world," says JerryConnors, DISA president. "This is a win-win for all sides."

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

DISA serves as the secretariat for ASC X12, the AccreditedStandards Committee that develops and maintains cross-industrye-commerce standards that improve global business processinteroperability. Current ACORD Standards initiatives in long-termcare, employee benefits, and workers' compensation will benefitfrom the synergy with DISA and ASC X12, whose members representinsurance including healthcare, as well as the transportation,finance, government, supply chain, and communication/controlssectors.

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

"Standards organizations around the globe are alreadycollaborating in areas like architecture, translation tools,message certification, and other utilities," says Maciag. "Thismerger will mean we can make progress faster and increase standardsimplementation across the board."

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