Eligible professionals (EPs) must successfully e-prescribe for Medicare patients 10 times before June 30, 2011 using claims-based reporting to avoid the penalty in 2012. Earning the e-prescribing incentive for 2011 will not necessarily exempt an EP or group practice from the 1 percent penalty starting on January 1, 2012. For 2013, the 1.5 percent penalty is based
Michael Cassidy
Maine Supreme Court Enforces Restrictive Covenant, But Allows Liquidated Damages
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Uncategorized
Several physicians employed by Court Street Family Practice, a division of the Sisters of Charity Health Systems Inc. (Health System) resigned to join a competing practice owned by a competing health system. The employment contracts included a “Limitation of Practice” clause which “forbade them from practicing medicine with Central Maine Health Care Corporation, its affiliates or…
HIMSS12
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in HIPAA, HIT, and EHR
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.
Medicare EHR Incentive Program Deadline for Hospitals Soon Approaching
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Uncategorized
The last day for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals to begin their 90-day reporting period for this fiscal year for the Medicare EHR incentive program is July 3, 2011. Hospitals and critical access hospitals must begin their 90-day reporting period by this date if they still want to successfully demonstrate meaningful use and…
HIPAA 5010 Testing for Small Practices
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in HIPAA, HIT, and EHR
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…
Three-Judge Panel Will Hear Oral Arguments by Obama Administration about Healthcare Reform
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Legal News
The federal government will present oral arguments today to a three-judge panel at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta for State of Florida et al. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services et al. (Docket No. 11-11021). The federal government has appealed a ruling by a Florida judge who declared the…
Physician Cannot Revoke Settlement Agreement
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Credentialing and Peer Review
Bissada v. Arkansas Children’s Hospital (the “Hospital”) presents an atypical peer review case. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment entered on behalf of the Hospital by the District Court on the basis of the existence of a Settlement Agreement, instead of relying upon the usual HCQIA peer review immunity protections.
Dr. Bissada practiced…
a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on HIPAA Accounting
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in HIPAA, HIT, and EHR
Contributed by Lee Kim
412.594.3915
lkim@tuckerlaw.com
——
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…
Republican Senators Seek ACO Revisions
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
Seven GOP Senate Finance members wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and CMS Administrator Don Berwick suggesting that due to the outpouring of concern from the provider community — including key health care integrated systems such as the Mayo Clinic, Billings Clinic, Intermountain Healthcare and Cleveland Clinic — CMS officials should pull the…
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Latest Medical Malpractice Data Shows Number of Filings Reach New Low
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Legal News
A total of 1,491 malpractice lawsuits were filed in 2010, according to a report released last week by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
Court officials reported that 163 cases reached a jury, and 133 verdicts – 81 percent – favored the defense.
Chief Justice Ronald Castille said there’s been a 45 percent decline in…