We’ve all heard of the recent healthcare cyber attacks on organizations like 21st Century Oncology Holdings and Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. Although these were two very different cyber attacks, nonetheless…
Category: HIPAA & Compliance
HIPAA Phase 2 Audits – Have you been notified yet?
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) has just announced it is starting HIPAA Phase 2 Audits, this time focusing on business associates…
Healthcare Cyber Insurance – are you keeping up your end?
Healthcare Cyber Insurance is pretty much mandatory. Proliferation of medical information created, maintained and transmitted by and between healthcare providers and organizations of all types, is increasing. Healthcare Cyber Insurance…
OIG 2016 Work Plan – EHR Technology
The OIG 2016 Work Plan, published a few weeks ago, announced reviews of incentive payments for adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR), and plans to conduct security audits of certified…
2016 OIG Work Plan, here’s another reason to pay attention
If you’ve read my recent post, 2016 OIG Work Plan-Nursing Homes, you know that the OIG has introduced a new project that seeks to examine the SNF prospective payment…
OIG 2016 Work Plan – Impact on Hospitals
The OIG 2016 Work Plan was released earlier last month, and hospitals again lead the pack in terms of OIG auditing projects. In fact, this year there are 25 OIG…
2016 OIG Work Plan-Nursing Homes
The 2016 OIG Work Plan was released on November 2, 2015. The 2016 version weighs in at a slimmer 80 pages versus its more hefty 2015 sibling which was 90…
OIG Work Plan 2016 – Impact on Physician Providers
The OIG Work Plan 2016 has been issued as of November 2, 2015, in accordance with the usual schedule for these OIG Work Plans. We strongly encourage all physician providers…
The OIG Work Plan 2016 – An Introduction
The OIG Work Plan 2016 was released by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) on November 2, 2015. The OIG Work Plan 2016 is an evolving document which outlines the…
HIPAA Enforcement Settlement: penalties keep on coming
The latest HIPAA enforcement settlement highlights the usual pitfalls On September 2, 2015 the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the latest HIPAA enforcement…
ICD-10 Transition: Ready or not, here it comes!
The ICD-10 transition is coming! The calendar is ticking down the days to the deadline for U.S. health care providers to transition from ICD- 9 to the 10th revision of…
HIPAA Compliant Texting: The Do’s and Don’ts
HIPAA Compliant Texting: What’s New? Questions regarding how to send HIPAA compliant text messages never seem to go away. The use of mobile devices, email inquiries from patients, and ever…
Another Reason for a Compliance Program
A United States Supreme Court ruling last week underscored the importance of employing a strong and dynamic healthcare compliance program. On Tuesday, in a unanimous decision, the justices ruled on…
Your Compliance Program – it can keep you out of trouble!
A compliance program is supposed to be a preventive activity, identifying problems before they become serious issues. It doesn’t happen too often, but it is sad anyway when you hear…
2015 OIG Work Plan – Nursing Homes
With the calendar ready to turn to November, the feds released the 2015 OIG Work Plan on October 31, 2014. Traditionally, the OIG has attempted to release its work plan…
2015 OIG Work Plan for Hospitals – what’s new?
The 2015 OIG Work Plan for hospitals and other providers has been released, and once again, hospitals have the dubious distinction of having the most projects (22) devoted to a…
OIG Work Plan 2015 – Impact on Physician Providers
Download the OIG 2015 Work Plan The OIG Work Plan 2015 is being issued “on time” this year, unlike 2014 when it came out 4 months late. Perhaps that’s because…
The 2015 OIG Work Plan – An Introduction
Download the OIG 2015 Work Plan In a devilish twist, the OIG decided to usher in Halloween with a treat of their own, the 2015 OIG work plan. The issuance…
Healthcare Compliance Programs – New perspectives on an old issue
Healthcare Compliance Programs – What are the Feds thinking these days? It seems like we have heard about compliance program requirements until our ears are blue – or whatever happens…
HIPAA and Public Health Disclosures – What’s Permitted?
Is this a HIPAA breach? The disclosure of negative test results for the Dallas policeman who visited the apartment of the first known fatality in the US due to ebola…