The members of Western Pennsylvania chapter of the Health Information Management Systems Society ("WPHIMSS") have elected board members for the 2011-2012 session.  Tucker Arensberg, P.C. attorney Lee Kim has been elected as a board member at-large.

More specifically, the following individuals have been elected to provide chapter leadership for the fiscal year of July

Target Audience:

Eligible Professionals (EPs): Doctors of Medicine or Osteopathy, Doctors of Dental Surgery or Dental Medicine, Doctors of Podiatric Medicine, Doctors of Optometry, Chiropractors, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, Physician Assistants (PA) who practice at an FQHC/RHC led by a PA.

Subject: A session for individual practitioners on the basics of the Medicare

An interim final rule has been recently published for "Adoption of Operating Rules for Eligibility for a Health Plan and Health Care Claim Status Transactions."  Section 1104 of the Affordable Care Act establishes new requirements for administrative transactions that will improve the utility of the existing HIPAA transactions and reduce administrative costs.

This interim final

HHS has awarded a contract to KPMG to aid the Office of Civil Rights to provide assistance in operating an audit program to ensure that healthcare providers, health plans, and business associates are compliant with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule.

From the FBO.gov contract award notice:

"The protocol and audit program performance requested under this contract

Contributed by Paul J. Welk

412.594.5536

Dr. Richard Allen Kaye, the Medical Director of Sentara Obisi Hospital, in Suffolk, VA was indicted by a federal grand jury for disclosing patient identifiable information in violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.  The indictment accuses Dr. Kaye of disclosing patient information without authorization to an agent of the

UCLA Health System ("UCLAHS") has agreed to settle potential HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule violations for $865,000 after an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights ("OCR").  UCLAHS has committed to a corrective action plan for compliance purposes.

“Covered entities are responsible for the actions of their employees. This is

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–June 10, 2011

Contact: Rosemary Martinelli, Tucker Arensberg, P.C., 412-594-3919

PITTSBURGH ATTORNEY SELECTED AS PEER REVIEWER FOR NATIONAL HEALTH CARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE

Pittsburgh, PA–Intellectual property and healthcare information technology law attorney Lee Kim has been selected to the national peer review panel for the 2012 annual conference of HIMSS–Health Information Management Systems Society. Ms.

The deadline to be in compliance with Version 5010 HIPAA electronic administrative transactions is January 1, 2012.  All physicians, other health care professionals, payers, and clearinghouses that electronically submit HIPAA transactions will be required to comply.  Risks associated with failing to comply include claim rejections and interrupted cash flow.

Free webinars are available through the GetReady5010

Contributed by Lee Kim

412.594.3915

lkim@tuckerlaw.com

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The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to modify the HIPAA Privacy Rule as necessary to implement the accounting of disclosures provisions of the HITECH Act.  An advance copy of the NPRM has been posted here at the

CMS Announces National Version 5010 Testing Day

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Version 5010 compliance date – Sunday, January 1, 2012 – is fast approaching.  All HIPAA-covered entities should be taking steps now to get ready, including conducting external testing to ensure timely compliance.  Are you prepared for the transition?  Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS)