Free CME: Patients' right of access under HIPAA The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has launched a new training module for providers on patients' right of access under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. With limited exceptions, the HIPAA Privacy Rule provides individuals with the right to see and receive copies upon request of the information in their medical and other health records maintained by their health care providers and health plans. The new module provides an in-depth review of the components of the HIPAA right of access ... August 8, 2017 General Continuing Medical Education, CME, HIPAA, HIPAA Privacy Rule, Medical Records 0 0 Comment Read More »
Child Health and Disability Prevention code and claim form conversion effective July 1 The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is currently transitioning Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program billing processes to be compliant with HIPAA standards for national health care electronic transactions and code sets. Rather than billing on the CHDP Confidential Screening/Billing Report (PM 160) claim form, claims will be submitted using CPT codes on the CMS 1500 or UB-04 claim forms or equivalent electronic claim transactions. The transition, effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2017, affects claims for Medi-Cal Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis ... June 22, 2017 Managed Care, Medi-Cal Child Health and Disability Prevention Program, Department of Health Care Services, DHCS, HIPAA, Medi-Cal, CHDP 0 0 Comment Read More »
HHS begins second phase of HIPAA audits The second phase of audits for compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations is underway. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) selected a total of 167 health plans, health care providers and health care clearinghouses to be audited. Selected physician practices would have received an email from OCR on July 11. The email may be incorrectly classified as spam, so check your spam and junk folders to make sure you didn't miss it. The 2016 phase 2 HIPAA audit program ... August 5, 2016 General HIPAA, HIPAA Privacy Rule, Audits 0 0 Comment Read More »
HHS begins phase 2 of HIPAA Audit Program As part of continued efforts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to measure and evaluate HIPAA compliance among covered entities and their business associates, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has begun phase 2 of its HIPAA Audit Program. OCR is required to perform periodic audits of covered entities and their business associates to ensure HIPAA compliance. Over the next several months, OCR will notify selected covered entities via email to request documentation for a desk audit. Those selected will be required to provide the requested ... April 29, 2016 General OCR, Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, HIPAA, Office for Civil Rights 0 0 Comment Read More »
HHS modifies HIPAA Privacy Rule as part of executive actions to curb gun violence Last week, the Obama Administration unveiled a number of executive actions to address gun violence in the United States, including an amendment to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that would make it easier for mental health providers to disclose the identities of individuals who are disqualified from shipping, transporting, possessing or receiving a firearm. Both the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 and the Gun Control Act of 1968 prohibit gun ownership and gun sales to individuals that have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution ... January 15, 2016 General Guns, HIPAA, HIPAA Privacy Rule, Mental Health, Public Health, CPLH 0 0 Comment Read More »
HHS releases security risk assessment tool to help providers with HIPAA compliance The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a new tool to help guide health care providers in small to medium sized practices conduct information security risk assessments of their organizations. The tool, available at www.HealthIT.gov, is the result of a collaborative effort by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and Office for Civil Rights (OCR). It is designed to help practices conduct and document a risk assessment in a thorough, organized fashion at their own pace by allowing them to ... April 9, 2014 General HIPAA, HIT, Medical Records, Health Information Technology 0 0 Comment Read More »
Are you using Windows XP? You may need to upgrade Physician offices using Windows XP should be aware that Microsoft will no longer be providing support for Windows XP after April 8, 2014. This means that updates, bug fixes, security patches and troubleshooting will not be available for systems operating Windows XP, making such systems vulnerable to security risks. While the California Medical Association (CMA) has received concerns from physicians who are being told that they will be in "automatic violation of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)" for using Windows XP after April 8, the HIPAA security ... April 4, 2014 General HIPAA Security Rule, Health Information Technology, HIPAA 0 0 Comment Read More »
HHS announces new rule that gives patients direct access to lab test results Patients will soon be able to obtain their medical test results directly from the laboratory, rather than having to request a copy from their physician's office, according to a new rule announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The rule is part of a broader effort to give Americans more control over their health care. It supersedes state law and will have particular significance in 13 states that currently prohibit labs from releasing test results directly to patients. Current California law allows the release of ... February 7, 2014 General Diagnostic Testing, HIPAA, HIPAA Privacy Rule, Clinical Laboratories 0 0 Comment Read More »
Are your business associate agreements up-to-date? Physician practices must review and update business associate agreements to comply with new HIPAA regulations. HIPAA requires a physician practice to enter into a written business associate agreement with any third party contractors or vendors that may create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information on behalf of the physician practice. These agreements describe how the business associate will use and protect the protected health information it receives from the physician practice. The new HIPAA regulations, known as the HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule, implement many of the key provisions of ... October 23, 2013 General HIPAA, Medical Records, Health Information Technology 0 0 Comment Read More »
Are you ready for the next HIPAA compliance deadline? The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new regulations in January 2013 that made important changes to the privacy and security requirements under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). These new regulations, known as the HIPAA Omnibus Rule, implement many of the provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Covered entities have until September 23 to comply with these changes. Physician offices will, at minimum, need to review and update their business associate agreements, office privacy and security policies and ... August 22, 2013 General Health Information Technology, HIPAA 0 0 Comment Read More »
