Final answer:
A clearinghouse is an organization that acts as an intermediary between insurance companies and healthcare providers to submit electronic claims and ensure accurate and timely payment. Their purpose is to streamline the claims process and promote interoperability.
Step-by-step explanation:
A clearinghouse is an organization that acts as an intermediary between insurance companies and healthcare providers to submit electronic claims. Clearinghouses collect the claims data from healthcare providers and send it to the insurance companies for processing. Their purpose is to streamline the claims process, promote interoperability, and ensure accurate and timely payment to providers from third-party payers.