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Health Information Compliance Alert
Health Information Compliance Alert
Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 12
HIPAA:
Take These Steps to Protect Yourself During HIPAA Audits
Contact experienced outside counsel immediately our experts advise. Establishing HIPAA pr...
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HIPAA Audit:
Pull Your Act Together With These Pointers
It's never too late to start getting into compliance. Assemble a team: "Covered entities ...
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5010 Readiness:
Medicare Won't Penalize You for 5010 Non-Compliance Until March 31, 2012
Plus: Avoid PO boxes on 5010, despite what your MAC tells you. Sweating over the fact tha...
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Version 5010 Conversion:
Avoid Countless Denials in the New Year -- Check to See If You're Prepared for the 5010 Conversion
You are not too late to prepare for the Jan. 1 deadline, experts say. The drop-dead date ...
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Part B Enrollment:
CMS Reminds Practices of 60-Day Revalidation Timeline
But, the agency stresses, wait for a request letter before you revalidate. If you're stil...
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Check Your Version 5010 Status with This Handy Checklist
If you are counting on an extension of the Jan. 1, 2012 deadline for 5010 compliance "you ...
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Industry Notes:
BCBS of North Carolina Offers EMR Support
If your practice is in North Carolina, you may be able to get some financial help from you...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 11
Documentation:
Vendor Won't Be Ready for 5010? Get Claims in Before 2011 Ends, CMS Advises
E-prescribing hardship exemptions are due in November, CMS reminds. Practices from all ac...
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HIPAA:
Remind Home Care Workers Of Facebook Rules
Employees have a right to use social media, but must protect identifiable patient informa...
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Home Health Documentation:
You Don't Have To Enroll In PECOS -- But You May Want To
CMS spokesperson clarifies agency's online enrollment policy. Don't believe everything yo...
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ICD-10:
Prepare for ICD-10 Conversion with 2 Simple Tips
Know your anatomy and physiology if you want a quick transition. It's not too early to st...
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You Be The Security Officer:
Set Clear Policy Regarding Time Frames for Authorization
Question: Your patient signs an authorization form in May permitting release of personal ...
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Nursing Facility HIPAA Compliance:
Help Staff Sidestep This Psychosocial Privacy Mistake
Doing this can cause residents harm, warns expert. Nursing facility staff members "need t...
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Industry Notes:
Theft Tops List of HIPAA Breaches, HHS Report Notes
Just because HIPAA breaches don't make the nightly news doesn't mean they aren't happenin...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 10
Patient Privacy:
Avoid These Cell Phone HIPAA Land Mines
Contacting on-call physicians via text or mobile phone? Make sure those communications are...
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E-Prescribing Penalty:
CMS Finalizes Four New Ways to Avoid 2012 E-Prescribing Payment Penalty
Get your exemption application to CMS no later than Nov. 1 if you want to be considered. ...
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Part B Forms:
Small Practices Could Be Exempt From Using HIPAA 5010 Form, CMS Says
You must request and receive approval for an ASCA waiver before you're in the clear. If y...
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Mac Spotlight:
Enrolled in PECOS Last Year? You'll Still Have to Revalidate
Practices groaned at the notion that they'll have to track down physicians for more signa...
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ABNs:
Yes, You Can Still Use an ABN-Style Waiver for Non-Covered, Non-Medicare Services
Steer clear of angry patients and lost reimbursement by covering your bases up front. Whe...
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Industry Notes:
Stanford Hospital HIPAA Breach Exposes 20,000 ER Patients' PHI for Almost A Year
Despite the fact that HIPAA requirements have been around for several years now, it can st...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 9
Compliance:
Home in on These Key Medical Record Compliance Issues
Be aware of a crackdown in this area, says OIG official. In a recent HEAT training sessio...
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Part B Forms:
You Must Use New ABN by Nov. 1, CMS Says
New form doesn't include major changes, but you are required to switch over to it. It may...
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ABN Forms:
Check out These Quick Examples of Appropriate ABN Use
Following are examples of when and how to properly use ABNs. Because of personal concerns...
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ePHI:
Are Your ePHI Practices Faulty?
Stop electronic protected health information leaks before they happen with this cautionar...
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HITECH Act:
Heed These Enhanced Security Requirements
If your practice or facility has started using health information technology (HIT) to supp...
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Documentation:
Code Charts Properly Every Time by Nailing Down Acronyms
Would you be able to count E/M bullets properly if the physician wrote 'WBC WNL'? Sometim...
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You Be The Security Officer:
No Patient Authorization? Disclose No PHI
Question: Who's authorized to make a request to review a patient's medical record? Would ...
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Industry Note:
HHS Seeks New Facebook App As Disaster Lifeline
In a move that takes on added significance in the wake of Hurricane Irene, the U.S. Depart...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 8
Securing PHI:
How Secure Are Your Data Management Practices?
Encryption holds the key says expert. You're risking substantial security breaches unless...
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HIPAA Compliance:
Physician Faces up to 5 Years in Prison for Sharing Medical Information With Patient's Employer
Here's how you can avoid facing a similar fate. HIPAA enforcement is still going full-thr...
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5010 Readiness:
Vendors Won't Be Able to Fix This Potential 5010 Snafu, Experts Say
Check on your address fields now -- before mistakes on your claim forms threaten to ...
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Patient Privacy:
Have Patient Data? You Can Still Travel Safely
Just make sure you maintain your HIPAA compliance on the road. Protecting your clients' p...
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Patient Privacy:
Focus On Your Laptop's Physical Security
You can minimize the risk of people inadvertently seeing protected health information on y...
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HIPAA:
Facility Pays $865,500 Fine After Staffers Peeked at Patient Health Records
You don't need celebrity patients to learn from this HIPAA mistake. If you knew Brad Pitt...
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Home Health Compliance:
Follow These 5 Steps To Protect Against F2F Claims Denials
Are you doing everything you can to boost your face-to-face compliance? It's no longer ju...
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Industry Notes:
Physician Nailed for Role in $200 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
Medicare wants physicians' signatures on their charts -- but only if they're signing ...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 7
HIPAA:
Take These 8 Steps To Information Security Compliance
Check to see how compliant your organization is. If you've become complacent about reduci...
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EHR Penalties:
CMS Proposes 4 Additional Exemptions to Help You Avoid EHR Penalty
The agency is accepting comments on the proposal through July 25. Hoping to avoid a one p...
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PHI Protection:
Allina Shows the Way with Tough Action
Protection of patient privacy is serious business. Allina Hospitals and Clinics recently ...
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Documentation:
Get Providers to Sign Each Time
Answers to 2 common signature questions help ensure you're on track. Including provider si...
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Compliancea:
Steer Clear of F2F Violations with Medical Directors
Rules may be different for another physician's patients. Do you know when it's OK for you...
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Industry Notes:
Don't be too quick to blame PECOS for all the informational messages you receive about claims lacking valid physician NPIs.
Last year CMS caused a panic among Part B providers by setting deadlines for so-called PEC...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 6
EHR Incentive Pay:
Follow This Advice to Avoid Forfeiting Your EHR Incentive Pay
Hint: CMS provides a simple calculator to tell you whether you're ready for attestation. ...
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Version 5010:
Put Your Vendor to Version 5010 Test -- Sooner Rather Than Later
If your vendor isn't getting ready, it's time to consider a switch. You only have a littl...
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Patient Privacy:
Peeking at Patient's PHI? Soon, They May Know You Did It
HHS proposes giving patients access to a list of providers who accessed their records. If...
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Software Management:
Reconsider Your Online Referral Subscription
OIG gives thumbs down to referral software. Home care providers feeling cornered by hospi...
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Industry News:
If you think the ICD-10 codes won't apply to your Medicare claims as of Oct. 1, 2013, CMS has news for you.
If you think the ICD-10 codes won't apply to your Medicare claims as of Oct. 1, 2013, CMS ...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 5
HIPAA:
Can You Afford to Make These Data Security Mistakes?
Legal expert outlines lessons learned from lost hard drives In the second major data secu...
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Compliance:
Are You Vulnerable To This HIPAA Violation?
If your staff carries paper PHI offsite, implement these proactive strategies. HIPAA enfo...
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Version 5010:
Get Your Practice Ready For the Upcoming Version 5010 Challenges
The 2012 implementation deadline won't change, so now's the time to start preparing. Over...
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PQRS:
Know These 5 Common Pitfalls When Using PQRS
Once again, provider documentation could be the linchpin in your success. Whether you're ...
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Industry Notes:
Show Employees Where to Turn to Report Compliance Issue
Suppose your compliance plan does not identify who should be contacted if someone sees co...
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Reader Question:
Does a Nursing Facility Have to Treat Psych or Substance Abuse Records Differently Under HIPAA or Other Laws?
Question: Are we required to handle medical records requested from a psychiatric or subst...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 4
Electronic Health Records:
Beware: 'Audit-Proof' EHRs Don't Exist,' Experts Say
The responsibility is on your practice -- and not the software or software vendor -...
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Enforcement:
HHS Slams Provider With $1 Million HIPAA Fine for Lost PHI
Warning: HIPAA enforcement is ramping up. The feds don't seem afraid to use their HIPAA fi...
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Risk Management:
Target These 2 High-Risk HIPAA Areas
Do you have these protections in place for remote access? Some of the riskiest areas in te...
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HIPAA:
'Willful Neglect' Violations May Eventually Expand to Stolen Laptops or Other Devices Containing Unencrypted PHI
It could happen, says HIPAA expert. Willful neglect violations can lead to some humongous...
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ICD-10:
Start Prepping Now for ICD-10 With 3 Mythbusters
You'll need to implement the new 5010 claim form first to be ready for ICD-10. While the ...
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Physician Quality Reporting System:
Know These 5 Common Pitfalls When Using PQRS
Once again, provider documentation could be the linchpin in your success. Whether you're ...
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Compliance:
Do Your Providers Meet Signature Requirements on Their Charts?
Answers to 2 common questions help ensure you're on track. Including provider signatures ...
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INDUSTRY NOTES
Ready for HIPAA 5010 Requirements? Providers already should be in Level I compliance, not...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 3
Training Strategies:
3 Key Points Maximize Your Scripting Success
Know when canned responses could land you in hot water. While scripting may be a valuable...
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Training Tool:
Saddle Up With These Scripting Samples
Use this sample to craft your own practice's script. Has the cat got your staff's tongue ...
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Scripting Response:
Attain Optimal Compliance By Scripting Responses For Frontline Staffers
Scripting makes your life easier by putting everyone on the same page. If all the world's...
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Compliance Strategies:
6 Steps Help You Guard Against Incidental PHI Disclosures
Understand what "reasonable" protection means for your office. Fail to take appropriate s...
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You Be The Security Officer:
How Do You Handle An On-Site Privacy Rule Investigation?
Read the situation below and decide how you would handle it before you compare it to our ...
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Reader Questions:
Play It Safe With Voice Mail Messages
Question: Can we leave phone messages on a patient's answering machine? Answer: Yes, but ...
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Reader Questions:
Should We Hire Another Security Officer?
Question: Do we need to hire a security officer to begin our compliance efforts with the ...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 2
Compliance Strategies:
Use These 6 Field-Tested Tips To Secure Your Employees' HIPAA Compliance
Address privacy breaches now or risk $10K per incident. You may have invested significant...
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Security:
Are You Taking The Right Steps To Protect Your E-mail PHI?
Document patient consent for e-mail messages and keep this on file, experts advise. If yo...
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Security Tip:
Craft Your Own E-Mail Disclaimer -- Here's How
Make sure your practice's contact info is on every e-mail. Medical offices that use e-mai...
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Privacy:
2 Scenarios Help You Act On Patients' Amendment Requests
Hint: Amend does not mean erase. A patient points out that another patient's information ...
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E-Prescribing:
PQRI and E-Prescribing Feature Several Changes This Year
Plus: You may still be subject to E-prescribing penalty -- even if you don't prescri...
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You Be The Security Officer:
When Should We Distribute The NPP?
Question: The entire front-office staff collaborated on a fact sheet about the privacy an...
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Reader Questions:
Is A Social Security Number Appropriate At Sign In?
Question: We ask patients to write down their date of birth or the last four digits of th...
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Reader Questions:
Phishing And Pharming -- Learn The Difference
Question: Our medical office has had problems with "phishing" scams on our Web site. Toda...
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Health Information Compliance Alert - 2011; Volume 11, Number 1
Risk Management:
Don't Be Toppled by Giant Fines: Perform a Topnotch HIPAA Security Risk Analysis
Beware: The willful neglect category of violations goes into effect on Feb. 17. If you've...
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Electronic Health Records:
Avoid These EHR Coding Pitfalls -- And Collect Your Share of the $44,000 Per-Physician Federal Incentive Bonus
If your EHR is prompting you to check one more exam area so you can upcode to a higher E/...
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Disaster Preparation:
Don't Let Disasters Sink Your Data-Driven Operations
2 broad-stroke efforts protect your electronic and paper medical records. As nursing home...
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Diagnosis Coding:
Most Practices 'Surprised' By How All-Encompassing ICD-10 Transition Has Been
Best bet: Establish your initial plan for conversion immediately so you can project your ...
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Industry Notes
Before you next hit send, read this. A former Geisinger Health System gastroenterologist ...
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Reader Question:
To Report or Not to Report a Colleague's Privacy Breach
Here's what to consider if you encounter this dilemma. Question: What should an employee o...
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