In a recent decision that has been making headlines across the country, a Pennsylvania federal court held that a local Cambria County company conducted over 300 unlawful pre-offer medical exams in violation of the ADA. Cambria Care Center (“CCC”) had purchased the former Cambria County owned nursing home and engaged Grane Healthcare (a separate, but
Legal News
Practical considerations to protect against being ‘out of network’
Practical considerations to protect against being ‘out of network’
The disengagement of Highmark and UPMC is looming on the horizon; most of the hospital participation agreements between these two competing healthcare systems end on December 31, 2014. There are some hospital agreements that continue, such as those at Children’s and Magee, but the focus of…
Do Windows XP Users Risk HIPAA Non-Compliance?
Microsoft recently announced that, after April 8, 2014, it will not longer provide security updates or technical support for Windows XP. Microsoft’s statement that “businesses that are governed by regulatory obligations such as HIPAA may find that they are no longer able to satisfy compliance requirements” has spurred a certain level of panic among health…
Joint SGR Repeal Bill Agreed Upon, Moving to Full Congress
New joint legislation to repeal Medicare’s failed SGR formula is advancing to both chambers of Congress following an agreement announced Thursday by the three committees that put forth repeal bills earlier this session.
“The AMA congratulates House and Senate negotiators for taking this critical step toward reforming the nation’s Medicare program,” AMA President Ardis Dee…
FTC and Accretive Health Settle Unfair Business Practice Complaint Centered on Data Security Measures
Accretive Health recently agreed to settle a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint that stems from a July, 2011 incident in which an Accretive employee’s laptop was stolen from his car. As a medical billing and revenue management services provider, Accretive grants its employees access to “sensitive personal health information” including “patient names, dates of birth,…
HHS Proposed Rule Affects HIPAA Privacy Rule and Background Check Reporting
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a proposed rule that would modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule by allowing health care providers to make certain disclosures to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The NICS aims to keep guns from being sold to those…
Pennsylvania 2014 Medical Records Costs
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has published the reproduction costs for medical records for 2014.
Highmark Launches Accountable Care Alliance
Highmark Launches Accountable Care Alliance
Attached is the press release;
https://www.highmark.com/hmk2/newsroom/pressreleases/2013/pr071813.shtml
More to come when the details are evaluaited.
California Issues Guidance on Mobile Privacy
Contributed by Lee Kim, Esq.
412.594.3915
All commercial website and online service providers need to comply with the requirements of the California Online Privacy Protection Act. California recently issued guidance on how mobile application developers and others can comply with those requirements at the design stage in its guide entitled, "Privacy On the Go…
Pennsylvania Medical Records Fees for 2013
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has issued its medical records fees for 2013. The announcement is attached; it provides as follows:
Not to Exceed
Amount charged per page for pages 1-20 $ 1.42
Amount charged per page for pages 21-60 $ 1.05
Amount charged per …