Home Health & Hospice Week
Beware Of This Common Patient Records Scenario Pitfall
If a patient owes your agency money, can you withhold their medical records? HHS has the answer. You cannot withhold protected health information (PHI) for that reason, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. “A covered entity may charge an individual that has requested a copy of her PHI a reasonable, cost-based fee for the copy. See 45 CFR 164.524(c)(4). However, a covered entity may not withhold or deny an individual access to her PHI on the grounds that the individual has not paid the bill for health care services the covered entity provided to the individual,” HHS says on its website. Caution: Since the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) instituted its HIPAA Right of Access Initiative in September 2019, the agency has investigated and settled 38 cases, including monetary penalties for providers. Ensuring that patients have swift and affordable access to their medical records — no matter their financial situation — is a part of HIPAA and remains a primary focus of the feds. You may want to include Right of Access protocols in your compliance planning and offer training to staff to protect these critical rights. Review OCR’s guidance on HIPAA Right of Access at www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/access/index.html.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Budget:
Budget For 2023 Comes With Pros And Cons For Home Health
Appropriations act passed on the night before Christmas Eve. Home health agencies are getting both [...] - Hospice:
Hospice Cap News Is Both Good And Bad In Year-End Budget Package
MedPAC’s 20% cap cut suggestion didn’t make it in, much to providers’ relief. Hospices’ aggregate [...] - Mergers & Acquisitions:
National Chain Beefs Up Florida Presence
Plus: Hospice non-profit collaborative nears 100 members. Enhabit Inc. has acquired Southwest Florida Home Care [...] - HIPAA:
Check Out New HIPAA Guidance To Ensure Compliance
OCR takes on website privacy in more detail. Add a couple of year-end HIPAA regulations [...] - Industry Note:
Data Breach Hits Medicare Contractor, Necessitating New Cards
More than a quarter-million beneficiaries will get new Medicare cards and numbers. Healthcare providers aren’t [...] - Industry Note:
Hospital-At-Home Programs Score Extension In Budget Bill
Hospital-at-Home programs are getting a boost from the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that averts [...] - Industry Note:
Don't Forget: You Can Report Telehealth G-Codes Starting Jan. 1
It may not be a requirement yet, but the sooner you start submitting telehealth visits [...] - Industry Note:
Bypass The Wait With A Clerical Error Reopening
Looking for a quick resolution to a clerical error claim problem? Your MAC can help. [...] - Industry Note:
CMS' Newest January Listening Session May Interest You
If you’ve got opinions about electronic signature requirements, Medicare officials want to hear them. The [...] - Industry Note:
Home Office Cost Report Update Could Pose Trouble For The Unprepared
Don’t miss an update to the home office cost report that came out recently. The [...] - Industry Note:
Beware Of This Common Patient Records Scenario Pitfall
If a patient owes your agency money, can you withhold their medical records? HHS has [...]
