Health IT, HIPAA, and the CMS Incentive Programs Blog
For physicians, hospitals, government agencies, and business associatesWhat the MIPS!?!
The CMS “incentive” programs over the past several years -- Meaningful Use, PQRS, ePrescribing, and the Value-modifier -- have been used both the "carrot" and "stick" approach. CMS provides both cash bonuses and penalties. The Merit-based Incentive Payment System or...
Paying for Quality at a new level
As we mentioned in the last post, both MIPS and Advanced APMs are a part of the Quality Payment Programs. These programs replace the reimbursement structure in place for practices in 2017. So what is the difference between MIPS and Advanced APMs? CMS estimates that...
MACRA and Quality Payment Programs
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) was passed on April 16, 2015. This legislation was landmark because it repealed the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). This legislation also created two new payment systems for Medicare Providers. These two programs...
CMS and ONC: Meaningful Use is Not Dead!
Why is Meaningful Use not dead? For hospitals, and for physicians participating in the Medicaid MU program, no imminent change is expected in the Meaningful Use rules. However, CMS is exploring options for updating these programs to reward providers for outcomes, to allow providers flexibility, to promote innovation and new technologies and to encourage interoperability.
HIPAA Breach Reports – Spring 2015
Despite the high stakes, some healthcare providers have been rather blasé about security. But, a failure to comply with HIPAA rules can lead not only to penalties of up to $50,000 per record depending on the level of negligence but also to a class action suit in a civil court and criminal charges. What can you do about that?
OCR Launches Random HIPAA Audits, Phase 2
The HITECH Act, enacted by Congress in February 2009, mandated that the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enhance its enforcement efforts through the use of random HIPAA audits. OCR conducted a pilot audit program in which an audit protocol was created and 115 covered...
OCR Active with HIPAA Enforcement
Over the last 6 months the HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has announced an average of a settlement or other enforcement action per month. While most affected organizations were hospital systems or national companies, one small organization also was included. Here is...
Healthcare Targeted in Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware is a type of malware that quickly encrypts the files of the host computer system, rendering them unusable, and then displays a message demanding a ransom within a short period of time. If the ransom is paid, the victim may receive a decryption key to...
