This is simply a reminder that the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) pilot audit program to access the privacy and security compliance of covered entities will commence November 2011 and conclude by December 2012. The attached link provides details about the program.
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/audit/index.html
The Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program launched in Arkansas, Delaware, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota. Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals in these states are now able to complete their EHR incentive program registration. State-specific information can be found by clicking on the hyperlinks above. General information about…
The annual US News and World Report Best Law Firm survey ranks Tucker Arensberg in the Best Law Firms as a Tier 1 Pittsburgh law firm in the healthcare, and many other categories.
http://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/firms/tucker-arensberg-p-c-/overview/18425/
Highmark and WPAHS have signed the final affiliation documents and filed them with the Pennsylvania Insurance Deoartment. The filing, which includes the terms of the agreement, the revised bylaws, and the proposed organization structure are available via this link:
https://www.highmark.com/hmk2/about/newsroom/2011/hmwp/forma.pdf
Please join us for the Western Pennsylvania Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society ("WPHIMSS") Fall Program and Networking Event co-sponsored by Highmark and Tucker Arensberg, PC.
We invite you to join us for:
-WPHIMSS Membership Update
-National HIMSS Update
-Health Information Exchange Update…
CMS ANNOUNCES POLICY, PAYMENT RATE CHANGES FOR THE PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE IN 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued a final rule with comment period that updates payment policies and rates for physicians and nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) for services paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) in calendar year (CY)
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HHS has issued its 2012 OIG Work Plan. Following are some particular areas of concern for physicians:
Physician-Owned Distributors of Spinal Implants: OIG will determine the extent to which physician-owned distributors (PODs) provide spinal implants purchased by hospitals and whether PODs are associated with high use of spinal implants. The Work Plan notes that Congress has…
CMS has finally released the final rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, which is the program that establishes the rules for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).
The initial industry objections to the ACO concept and the proposed regulations was that it was so complicated, so limited and potentially so expensive that it would be impossible…
CMS has taken a small step to implement President Obama’s executive order instructing federal agencies to eliminate regulations that obsolete or overly burdensome to business.
On October 24, 2011 CMS published the final rule revising Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) conditions for coverage to allow patient rights information to be provided to the patient, the patient’s…
