MAKING SENSE OF OUTSOURCING MEDICAL BILLING
All the changes that are happening in the healthcare industry in the next few years will challenge the way medical practices operate. Physicians are going to be pressed to see more patients with the new influx of patients that will come into the health care system with Obamacare (this is if Obamacare was to be […]
MEDICAL PRACTICES MUST COMPLY WITH THE HIPAA OMNIBUS RULE
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Omnibus Rule, enacted in March, includes expanded obligations of physicians and other health care providers to protect patients’ protected health information (PHI). Obligations have been extended from covered entities to other individuals and companies who, as Business Associates (BA), have access to PHI. Increase in the penalties for […]
HIPAA AND TEXTING
It is not uncommon for providers to use electronic devices such as cell phones and tablets to conduct their day to day functions within a healthcare facility or practice. Covered entities must ensure that The Health Care Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security rules are put in place when using mobile devices. […]
UPDATE NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES BY SEPT 23 2013
The changes to the Omnibus Rules that are going into effect on Sept 23 2013 require that all medical practices must update their Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) by Sept 23 2013. According to our friends at the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) there are 5 significant changes that need attention: 1) You must update […]
HIPAA PHOTOCOPY BREACH PROVES COSTLY
At $1.2M, HIPAA photocopy breach proves costly HITECH notification rule leads to settlement after CBS News story The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has settled with Affinity Health Plan, a New York-based managed care plan, for HIPAA violations to the tune of $1,215,780 after a photocopier containing patient information was compromised. Affinity […]
MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL PRACTICE OUTSOURCE ITS BILLING
Many practice managers and medical providers do not like to hear the work “outsource” when it comes to their medical billing. One of the main concerns with outsourcing is about losing control and having to let practice staff go. However, many medical practices find themselves overwhelmed with their day to day operations and experience issues […]
UNDER HIPAA WILLFUL NEGLECT NOW HAS MINIMUM MANDATORY FINES
Under the final Omnibus Rule that will start being enforced on September 23, 2013 things have changed. The department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is going to start enforcing the final Omnibus Rules. The fines have increased for those practices that are not following the new regulations. The OCR […]
HIPAA OMNIBUS RULE NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES MUST BE UPDATED
September 23, 2013 is the date that medical practices and other covered entities must update their Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) to patients in order to be compliant with the HIPAA Omnibus rule enacted in March 2013. The new NPP should be posted in each office, on the website if one exists, and should be […]
BUSINESS ASSOCIATES HIPAA OMNIBUS RULES REQUIREMENTS
Under the HIPAA / HITECH Omnibus Rules, covered entities need to update their HIPAA compliance programs by September 23rd. One of the major changes under the HIPAA / HITECH Omnibus Rules is related to business associates. Business associates are not considered to be covered entities but have access to patient information. Under HIPAA, business associates […]
MEDICAL BILLING PROCESS NEEDS PATIENT COLLECTION SYSTEM
Medical Billing is one of the most important functions of a medical practice. Medical Billing is part of the revenue cycle management process of a practice. So, medical billing is much more than submitting claims to insurance companies and waiting to be paid for those claims. The revenue cycle management of a medical practice is […]