Home Health & Hospice Week
Rogue Employee Causes Major HIPAA Violation
If you don’t have a good handle on what your employees are up to with your patient files, you could pay the price.
A licensed practical nurse at a large medical group in Virginia inappropriately accessed nearly 1,000 patients’ Social Security Numbers and medical histories from their electronic health records over a four-year period, the Hampton Roads, Va. Daily Press reports. The company discovered the breach during a random audit in November, after which the health system began contacting the patients who were affected.
This latest news should serve as a reminder of how important it is for you to create strict patient privacy policies, train your staff on how to follow them, and audit/monitor the records often to ensure that your employees are carefully following the HIPAA rules. To view the HIPAA audit protocols, visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/ audit/protocol.html.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Audits:
RACs Launch New Home Care Reviews This Month
Medical necessity, long stays top Recovery Audit Contractors’ new hit lists. Home health agencies’ heavy [...] - Diagnosis Coding:
Use 3 Coding Questions To Bolster Medical Necessity
Beware of recycling diagnoses for recertifications. RACs and other Medicare contractors are zeroing in on [...] - Medical Review:
Get Up To Speed On These RAC FAQs
Undergoing one RAC audit doesn’t mean you won’t get hit with another for the same [...] - Therapy:
High Therapy May Land You On MAC's Radar
Check these claims to make sure you can back up your patients’ therapy visits and [...] - Reimbursement:
MedPAC Finalizes Rate Cut Recommendations For Home Health, Hospice
Influential advisory body continues its pressure to implement a home health copay. Your uphill battle [...] - Industry Note:
LUPA Hold Throws Agencies For A Loop
Hold may affect more than LUPA claims. A new claims system glitch is slowing home [...] - Industry Note:
Therapy Cap Exception Process Expires In 2 Months
For home care providers furnishing Part B therapy in the home, you’ve got a bit [...] - Industry Note:
New Education Tool Explains F2F To Physicians
CMS is offering you a helping hand to get docs on board with face-to-face encounter [...] - Industry Note:
HHS Moves Patient Appeals To Front Of ALJ Line
Your claims appeals may be put on hold for two years if you want an [...] - Industry Note:
Rogue Employee Causes Major HIPAA Violation
If you don’t have a good handle on what your employees are up to with [...] - Industry Note:
Joint Commission Revises Home Care Requirements
Home health agencies accredited by The Joint Commission will see revised requirements effective next month. [...] - Industry Note:
CMS Podcast Helps Docs With Hospice Billing Basics
You can help out physicians who refer hospice patients to your organization by pointing them [...] - Industry Note:
HHAs Open While Hospice Downsizes
Growth and change continue in the home health and hospice markets. In North Carolina: BAYADA [...] - Industry Note:
2 Veteran Consulting Firms Join Forces
Two industry veterans in home care consulting have joined forces. Simione Healthcare Consultants, founded in [...]
