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Showing 65 posts tagged Health Care Law.

CMS Proposes to Change Physician Requirements for RHC's and FQHC's

Since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (“PPACA”), many providers, suppliers and physicians that were enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid were mandated to create compliance programs for their healthcare facilities. Since that time, small and rural providers have been scrambling to adopt and implement programs that can adequately withstand regulatory and law enforcement scrutiny. Larger providers, such as multi-state hospitals, were already equipped with a compliance program. It is the small and rural providers, limited by staff and financial resources, which have had their hands full complying with the new regulatory requirements. More >

State Legislation, the ACA, and Autism: New Laws Bring in Waves of Change

In recent years, state legislators across the country have closely focused on a specific health problem that can affect mental capacity: autism. Autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD’s) cause developmental disabilities and numerous social, behavioral, and physical challenges. The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School renewed intense public debate about this particular diagnosis and treatment of other mental health issues. More >

HHS Issues Final HIPAA/HITECH Rule

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) issued its Final Rule modifying the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) privacy and security regulations pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH”) on January 17, 2013.  The Final Rule strengthens the privacy and security requirement of HIPAA governing protected health information (“PHI”) and gives HHS greater enforcement authority to police violations of the privacy and security requirements.  The Final Rule will require health care providers and their business associates to re-evaluate their HIPAA compliance policies and procedures to avoid potential liability for violations of HIPAA requirements. More >

The Wrap-Around Slap-Around for Primary Care Centers

For Kentucky Primary Care Centers (“PCCs”), Rural Health Centers (“RHCs”), and Federally Qualified Health Centers (“FQHCs”), getting the run-around from Medicaid on wrap-around payments is not so unusual.  Frequently, these providers complain that supplemental payments distributed by the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services’ (“Medicaid”) are too low, too late or both. More >

The Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange: How Obamacare is Changing the Health Insurance Marketplace

Now that the President has been re-elected and the Supreme Court has upheld most of the Accountable Care Act (“ACA”), Obamacare will not be repealed. So, what does that mean for Kentuckians?  Several things including an individual mandate to buy health insurance and a health benefit exchange where Kentuckians can buy insurance. More >

AN EFFECTIVE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM: PREVENTIVE MEDICINE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL PHYSICIAN GROUP PRACTICE

With federal and state fraud and abuse enforcement efforts on the rise, all health care providers must be vigilant in identifying areas of risk and putting in place mechanisms to ensure regulatory compliance.  This holds true not just for larger institutional providers, but individual and small physician group practices, as well.  With the proliferation of federal and state contractors tasked with performing audits of coding and  billing practices, physician practices must be prepared to demonstrate proper coding and billing practices and proper documentation to support those practices.  The best preventive medicine for the individual and small physician group practice is a carefully drafted compliance program to identify and address areas of risk and to promote a culture of compliance within the practice. More >

Reforming Medicare Audits

On October 16, 2012, the Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012[1] was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Sam Graves. The purpose of this legislation is to reform the Medicare auditing program. This legislation aims to improve the accuracy and transparency of Medicare audits of hospitals as well as increase the accountability of Recovery Audit Contractors (“RAC”).[2] More >

THE KENTUCKY HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGE: LITTLE GNOME FACTS

“Like Travelocity but for health insurance” is how Executive Director Carrie Banahan and Deputy Director Bill Nold of the Office of Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange describe the developing Kentucky Exchange.  More >

Changes to Deadlines for Stage Two – Meaningful Use in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH”) Act, health care professionals and hospitals may qualify for incentive payments when they adopt and meaningfully use certified electronic health records (“EHR") under a three stage process. More >

Here Comes the Sun, Are you Prepared? – Tips for Navigating the New Sunshine Provisions

The Sunshine Act was legislated as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”) to reduce the risk of inappropriate financial incentives interfering with medical judgment and patient care by enhancing the transparency of financial relationships between certain health care providers (i.e. physicians and teaching hospitals) and manufacturers of covered drugs and devices.  Because these relationships are being scrutinized now more than ever, those involved in clinical research with manufacturers of drug and device companies   may find the following these general guidelines  helpful in avoiding  risks of non-compliance and legal complications: . More >

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