| In the News |
OIG continues to announce fraud enforcement actions at what appearsto be an alarming rate.
______________________
January 10, 2012
U.S. Attorney; Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Ambulance Company Worker Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme
http://go.usa.gov/RjV
State Enforcement Actions Updated
http://go.usa.gov/kn2
___________________________
January 5-6, 2012
U.S. Department of Justice
Home Health Agency Owner Pleads Guilty in Connection with Detroit Fraud Scheme
Office Manager for Miami Home Health Company Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Role in $25 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Miami-Area Patient Recruiter Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Participating in Medicare Fraud Kickback Scheme
U.S. Attorney; Western District of Texas
Former Texas Pain Management Physician and Psychiatrist Sentenced To Federal Prison on Health Care Fraud Charges
Attorney for the Middle District of Florida
Sarasota County Woman Sentenced for Health Care Fraud
State Enforcement Actions Updated
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 Products now available in the HSG Store. |
We are also pleased to announce our Combo Package which includes:
- Business Associate Agreement: HITECH Ready Model Contract
- Breach Notification Framework
- Breach Notification Policy
- The Security Rule Under HITECH: a Business Associate's Perspective
Save over $100.00 off the retail price.
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HIPAA Breach Notification Framework
Our HIPAA Breach Notification Framework walks you through the process of analyzing security incidents to determine what actions you must take to ensure your response complies with the HITECH Breach Notification requirements. The Framework discusses HITECH breach compliance in simple terms and uses twelve flowchart diagrams to help you navigate the process. It also includes tools and templates that help "jump start" your breach notification compliance initiative.
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Our HIPAA Breach Notification Policy
This policy implements section 13402 of the HITECH Act which requires HIPAA covered entities and their business associates to provide notification following a breach of unsecured protected health information. The policy was derived from our HIPAA Breach Notification Framework and is included as a FREE gift that product.
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Business Associate Agreement: a HITECH Ready Model Contract
Our model Business Associate Agreement includes provisions that meet the requirements of HIPAA/HITECH and is fully annotated with links to the relevant statutory/regulatory authority that underpins each Contract clause. The Contract package also includes a complete "User's Guide," with a clause-by-clause explanation of the issues addressed in the Contract.
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The Security Rule Under HITECH:
a Business Associate Perspective
First Edition
The most important step for building a "good SR compliance story" is for the business associate to get started. The approach in The Security Rule Under HITECH is to build the story iteratively over time. Most business associates (large or small) will likely need help in creating the story. The framework discussed throughout this document provides a good road map to follow.
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HIPAA Survival Guide Third Edition
The Third Edition of the HIPAA Survival Guide updates various substantive text of the first two editions and adds completely new material. The HITECH Act has indeed proven to be transformational. In order to deal more effectively with its changing regulatory landscape we have decided to release an updated version available here and on Amazon's Kindle platform.
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HIPAA Core Training Combo
This package includes the Breach Notification Simplified Training Module, the HIPAA Privacy Rule under HITECH Training Module, the HIPAA Security Rule Under HITECH Training Module and the HITECH and HIPAA Compliant Training Module all in one Combo Package. Buy all 4 for a little more than than the price of 3
Buy Now...
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Dear Carlos,
Welcome to the February 2012 HITECH / HIPAA Compliance Newsletter.
The featured article this month is entitled HIPAA Compliance: Preview of the HHS Omnibus Rule?
This article explores the proposed HHS Omnibus Rule. The HHS Omnibus Rule ("OR") mostly concerns sections of the HITECH Act that went into effect on February 18, 2010. There was an NPRM that was issued on July 14, 2010 that contained the changes proposed for the final rule. It is quite evident that HHS has not broken any "land speed records" in finalizing the OR, but all indications are that it will be forthcoming "soon." The full text of the OR can be found here.
 FREE WEBINAR: HHS Proposed Omnibus Rule Discussion
The HHS Omnibus Rule Webinar will continue our review of the proposed HHS Omnibus Rule ("OR") and discuss the marketplace impact that this comprehensive set of regulations is likely to have on the healthcare privacy and security regulatory landscape. Business associates are going to see an additional regulatory compliance burden as their subcontractors will now be treated as business associates. Covered entities can expect a number of changes including material changes to their Notice of Privacy Practices ("NOPP").
Date: February 9, 2012.
Time: 2:00 to 3:30 EST.
To register Click Here.
HIPAA Survival Guide Radio: Next Show
Our weekly radio show will cover topics about how the HITECH Act is transforming HIPAA and: 1) provide exposure to industry thought leaders; 2) provide analysis of proposed and promulgated HHS/OCR rule making; and 3) provide a forum for sharing of industry best practices. Here's the overview video. To participate via chat you will need to create a FREE Blog Talk Radio account. No account is necessary just to listen. Archived copies of shows will be made available.
Date: February 3, 2012.
Time: 3:00 to 3:30 EST.
To listen Click Here.
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| HSG Announcements |
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We are promoting what we believe to be the best of breed HIPAA Compliance Software on the market. We have performed a significant amount of due diligence over the last couple of years and this is the one solution that is clearly ahead of the pack and economically priced to be within the reach of even the smallest covered entities and business associates. To see a demo of the product click here or on the image below.
Our EHR Library remains one of our most popular downloads. Here you will find content that will help you select the right EHR package for your practice or facility and other useful EHR collateral.
Join the Conversation
The HIPAA Survival Group on LinkedIn continues to be the go to place for meaningful discussion of HITECH / HIPAA issues. You will find many industry thought leaders and insiders sharing their views on the evolving compliance landscape.
Stay Connected
Want to stay updated throughout the month? Follow Carlos on Twitter by clicking on the badge below. If you would like to read more regarding the authors' views on HIT and compliance click here and here and subscribe to their blogs.  Become a FanFollow us on FaceBook by becoming a fan of the HIPAA Survival Guide. Also, be sure to check out our HITECH Videos. Advertising OpportunitiesHSG is now welcoming advertisers to help support one of the most comprehensive and usable HITECH / HIPAA sites on the Internet. Our audience continues to grow as healthcare providers and business associates, both large and small, return to HSG again and again.
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HIPAA Compliance: Preview of the HHS Omnibus Rule? |
This article explores the proposed HHS Omnibus Rule. The HHS Omnibus Rule ("OR") mostly concerns sections of the HITECH Act that went into effect on February 18, 2010. There was an NPRM that was issued on July 14, 2010 that contained the changes proposed for the final rule. It is quite evident that HHS has not broken any "land speed records" in finalizing the OR, but all indications are that it will be forthcoming "soon." The full text of the OR can be found here.
The Scope of the Omnibus Rule ("OR") is Comprehensive
 The OR will be comprehensive in scope. Here's the money quote from the NPRM regarding its contents:
While passage of the HITECH Act necessitates much of the rulemaking below, it does not account for all of the proposed changes to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Enforcement Rules encompassed in this rulemaking. The Department is taking this opportunity to improve the workability and effectiveness of all three sets of HIPAA Rules. The Privacy Rule has not been amended since 2002, and the Security Rule has not been amended since 2003. While the Enforcement Rule was amended in the October 30, 2009, interim final rule to incorporate the enforcement-related HITECH statutory changes that are already effective, it has not been otherwise substantively amended since 2006. In the intervening years, HHS has accumulated a wealth of experience with these rules, both from public contact in various forums and through the process of enforcing the rules. In addition, we have identified a number of needed technical corrections to the rules. Accordingly, we propose a number of modifications that we believe will eliminate ambiguities in the rules and/or make them more workable and effective. Further, we propose a few modifications to conform the HIPAA Privacy Rule to provisions in the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA).
In other words, the OR is going to be a "big deal" because it is likely to set the tone for the HIPAA Rules for at least the next three years (i.e. major revisions like this simply do not occur all that often). According to HHS, once the OR is finalized covered entities (CEs) and business associates (BAs) will get 180 days to comply. HHS also plans to update the HIPAA Rules to make the 180 days a "general rule" with respect to when compliance by stakeholders is effective after a rule change.
Business Associates Everywhere?
 There are lots of detailed changes in the OR. We will summarize these into various categories so as not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. One big change is that business associates will be everywhere under the OR, because subcontractors of traditional BAs will themselves be treated as full fledged BAs. This change alone is big enough to shake up the existing compliance status quo and is a harbinger of things to come.
Read more...
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| About Us |
 3Lions Publishing, Inc. is now the owner/operator of the HIPAA Survival Guide website and the official sponsor of this newsletter. Our mission is to bring you HITECH / HIPAA statutes and regulations in an easy to read and digestible format, products that help reduce the burden of compliance, and "news you can use" via our newsletter.
We take a partnering and collaborative approach to the marketplace. If you would like to see specific topics covered in this newsletter, or additional products, then please let us know.
Carlos Leyva, CEO
3Lions Publishing, Inc.
(800) 516-7903
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