As we’ve discussed in previous articles,[1] and as you are no doubt aware by now, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) recently received a significant facelift. In addition to extending direct liability to business associates and subcontractors, the updated HIPAA regulations (Updated Regulations), which were authorized by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), contain many new provisions to address growing privacy concerns for the increasing amount of protected health information (PHI) stored on electronic media. Covered entities and their business associates and subcontractors must comply with the Updated Regulations by September 23, 2013. In order to help you prepare for the September 23, 2013 compliance deadline, this article (1) explains the difference between two important compliance deadlines contained in the Updated Regulations, (2) suggests a 5-step process to efficiently update and/or create compliant HIPAA policies and procedures, and (3) discusses a few observations we’ve made as we’ve helped our clients prepare for the September 23, 2013 compliance deadline. Continue reading…
Monthly Archives: June 2013
Fraud and Abuse, Medicaid, Medicare / No Comments
On May 8, 2013, the Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) of the Department of Health & Human Services issued an updated Special Advisory Bulletin (the “Updated Bulletin”)[1] on the effect of exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other Federal health care programs (collectively “FHPs). The Updated Bulletin, which replaces and supersedes guidance originally provided by OIG in a 1999 Special Advisory Bulletin (the “1999 Bulletin”), details OIG’s broad interpretation of the scope and effect of its exclusion authority under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law (“CMPL”).[2] The Updated Bulletin addresses many of the questions OIG has received about exclusions and purports to convey insight gained from resolving self-disclosure cases since publishing the 1999 Bulletin. Continue reading…