| January 17, 2013 |
OCR Releases Display Copy of HITECH-HIPAA Omnibus Privacy and Security Rule
The HHS Office of Civil Rights has released a display copy of the “Notification Rule under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical health Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act: and Other Modifications to the HIPAA Rules” better known as the HITECH-HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules this afternoon. This is a final rule that modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Enforcement Rules to implement statutory amendments under the HITECH Act to strengthen the privacy and security protection for individuals’ health information; modify the rule for Breach Notification for Unsecured Protected Health Information (Breach Notification Rule) under the HITECH to address public comment received on the interim final rule; modify the HIPAA Privacy Rule to strengthen the privacy protections for genetic information by implementing section 105 of Title I of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA); and make certain other modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification, and Enforcement Rules (the HIPAA Rules) to improve their workability and effectiveness and to increase flexibility for and decrease burden on the regulated entities.
The effective date of the final rule will be March 26, 2013 (a two month delay is required under HIPAA) and the compliance date for HIPAA covered entities and business associates is set at September 23, 2013. The display copy of the new rule can be found at the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection.
AHIMA will be issuing further analysis of the final rule and announcing education sessions in the near future. |
| December 3 |
AHIMA Supports Federal Legislation to Address Issues with RAC Audits
HR 6575, the Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012 was introduced by Representative Sam Graves (R-MO) on October 16, 2012. This legislation would preserves the intent of the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program, to address fraud within the Medicare system, but in a way that does not continue to negatively impact patient care with unnecessary administrative burdens.
Some key changes would include:
· Setting annual limits for the number of additional audits that can be requested by a Medicare contractor within a 12 month period.
· Establishing penalties for auditors who do not meet deadlines, and timely issuance of “demand letters” to hospitals under claims and appeals timeframes.
· Ensuring that information on auditor rates, denials and appeal outcomes would be readily available on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website. Read more
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August 28
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CMS Issues Final Regulation for Meaningful Use Stage2
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)recently issued the final regulation specifyingtheStage2 criteriathateligibleprofessionals(EPs), eligiblehospitals,andcriticalaccesshospitals(CAHs) mustmeetinordertoqualifyforMedicare and/orMedicaidelectronichealthrecord(EHR) incentivepayments.Thisfinalrule revisescertainStage1 criteria,as finalizedintheJuly28,2010 finalrule,as wellas criteria thatapplyregardlessof Stage. For a copy ofthe rule go to https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-21050.pdf.
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August 28
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ONC Issues Final Regulation for Standards,Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for EHR Technology
The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC)recently issued the final regulation outlining the standards, implementation specifications,and certification criteria for electronic health record technology, 2014 editionand revisions to the permanent certification program for health information technology. For a copy of the rule go to https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-20982.pdf. |
August 28
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CMS Issues Final Regulation for setting ICD-10-CMand ICD-10-PCS compliance date
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)recently issued the final regulation adopting a standard for a unique healthplan identifier; addition to the national provider identifier requirements; anda change to the compliance date for the International Classification ofDiseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS) Medical Data Code Sets. For a copy of the rule go to, https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-21238.pdf.
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March 20
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CMS Issues Proposed Regulation for Meaningful Use Stage 2
The proposed rule issued on March 7th would specify the Stage 2 criteria that eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must meet in order to qualify for Medicare and/or Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments. The proposed rule would also revise certain Stage 1 criteria, as well as criteria that apply regardless of Stage, as finalized in the final rule titled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; EHR Incentive Program published on July 28, 2010 in the Federal Register.
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March 20
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ONC Issues Proposed Rule for Health Information Technology: Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for EHR Technology, 2014 Edition
The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) is proposing to revise the initial set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria adopted in an interim final rule published on January 13, 2010, and a subsequent final rule that was published on July 28, 2010, as well as to adopt new standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria. The proposed new and revised certification criteria would establish the technical capabilities and specify the related standards and implementation specifications that Certified Electronic Health Record (EHR) Technology would need to include to, at a minimum, support the achievement of meaningful use by eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs beginning with the EHR reporting periods in fiscal year and calendar year 2014.
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March 8
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AHIMA Public Policy Statement: We Need IDC-10-CM/PSC Now
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) recommends all healthcare entities be required to meet the compliance date of October 1, 2013, for implementation of the ICD-10-CM and, where applicable, the ICD-10-PCS classifications. AHIMA calls on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reconfirm its commitment to employ the ICD-10-CM/PCS classification systems and include an ICD-10 electronic health record (EHR) requirement to its Meaningful Use Stage 2 certification requirements. Taking these steps will enable the United States to benefit from the numerous improvements in health information classification offered by ICD-10-CM/PCS. The longer the U.S. delays implementation of ICD-10-CM/PCS, the more healthcare data will continue to deteriorate at a time when the need for data integrity is urgent. Accurate healthcare data is required to support other national healthcare initiatives such as quality measurement, patient safety, value based purchasing, widespread use of health information technology and interoperability.
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