The Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program run by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) garnered attention again last week following the release of a report by the Office of Inspector General of the US...more
On April 24, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) settlement in the amount of $2.5 million based on...more
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently posted revisions to the Voluntary Self-Referral Disclosure Protocol (SRDP). In an attempt to streamline the self-disclosure process, CMS requires the use of new...more
In its tenth OCR Cyber Awareness Newsletter of the year (Newsletter), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reminded HIPAA-covered entities and business associates of the importance of selecting an appropriate authentication...more
On November 15, 2016, as part of its 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule update, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services reissued its prohibition on certain unit-based rental arrangements with referring physicians,...more
The US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights recently posted guidance clarifying that a business associate such as an information technology vendor generally may not block or terminate access by a...more
10/27/2016
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Business Associates ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Covered Entities ,
Data Blocking ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
EHR ,
Health Information Technologies ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
OCR ,
OIG ,
PHI ,
Privacy Rule ,
Vendors
In Depth -
On June 30, 2016, the US Senate Committee on Finance (Committee) released a white paper titled Why Stark, Why Now? Suggestions to Improve the Stark Law to Encourage Innovative Payment Models, that addressed...more
On November 16, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published the 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule with comment period in the Federal Register at 80 Fed. Reg. 70,886, which includes a...more
On July 8, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend its regulations implementing and interpreting the Stark Law (the Proposed Rule). 80 Fed. Reg. 41,686,...more
7/28/2015
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Comment Period ,
FQHC ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Nurse Practitioners ,
Patient Referrals ,
Physician Compensation Arrangements ,
Physician-Owned Hospitals ,
Physicians ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Rural Health Care Providers ,
Stark Law
On April 27, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a resolution agreement with Cornell Prescription Pharmacy (CPP) pursuant to which CPP paid a $125,000...more
7/8/2015
/ Change Management ,
Compliance ,
Data Security ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Hospitals ,
OCR ,
Pharmacies ,
Physicians ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Risk Management ,
Security Risk Assessments
During 2014, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services initiated six enforcement actions in response to security breaches reported by entities covered by the Health Insurance...more