Due to the challenges of implementing Meaningful Use, it is unsurprising the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) is finally rethinking the plan. The goal of Meaningful Use (MU)…
HIPAA Privacy Rule Changes Address Gun Control
On January 4, 2016, the Obama administration rolled out a number of executive actions addressing gun control, one of which impacts the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). To…
Individual’s Rights to Access PHI
An individual’s right to access their protected health information (PHI) should be nothing new to covered entities. In 1996, HIPAA Privacy Rule detailed an individual’s right to access PHI. As…
Jumpstart Your Compliance Program
The beginning of the New Year is a popular time for new initiatives. Many healthcare organizations are looking for ways to improve quality and reduce risk. A compliance program is…
EEOC Guidance to Healthcare Providers Regarding Patients with HIV
On December 1, 2015 (World AIDS day) the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued the following two separate fact sheets addressing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections for…
Is Your Compliance Program Effective?
Having a compliance program in place is a start but having an effective compliance program is the goal. Proactively assessing the effectiveness of one’s own compliance program is better than…
Beware of Individual Liability: Yates Memo
On September 9, 2015, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates released a policy memorandum, titled “Individual Accountability for Corporate Wrongdoing,” also known as the “Yates Memo.”…
Overview of a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA)
Health care fraud recoveries for fiscal years 2009- 2014 exceeded previous records with five straight years of more than $2 billion in annual recovery from cases involving fraud and false…
Are You Prepared for the HIPAA Phase 2 Audits?
After reviewing the HIPAA Privacy case investigations from 2009-2011, the Office of the Inspector General sent a strong message to the Office of Civil Rights in regard to the administration…
Don’t Pay for Free Workplace Posters That Are Required By Law
Employers are required to advise employees of their federal rights in the form of displaying federally required posters in the workplace. Compliance with these federal requirements is necessary to avoid…