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HIM-HIPAA Insider

Keep up to date with weekly advice on issues such as coding and reimbursement, medical record documentation, Joint Commission IM standards, and more.

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HIM-HIPAA Insider

Issue 22, June 17, 2013

• CMS says it's not too late to avoid payment adjustments

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• OCR's new all-inclusive HIPAA doc

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• Eyes see more ICD-10-CM codes because of laterality

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• Documentation of medical necessity drives successful RA appeals

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• HIPAA Q&A: Receiving faxed HEDIS requests

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• The week in Medicare updates

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• Remind your workforce members to ’zip their lips’ when it comes to patient privacy

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Issue 21, June 10, 2013

• Don't forget to submit your comments for the IPPS proposed rule

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• Medical center alerts patients of lost PHI

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• Select your ICD-10-PCS principal procedure

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• HIPAA Q&A: Sharing patient information between clinics in the same organization

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• Product of the week: Optimizing PEPPER in the Audit Environment

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• The week in Medicare updates

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• CMS releases FY 2014 IPPS proposed rule

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• Make modifications to Notice of Privacy Practices to comply with final HIPAA rule

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Issue 20, June 3, 2013

• Medicare Fraud Strike Force charges 89 in nationwide takedown

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• Inside the corrective action plan for Idaho State University

  In the business of corrective action plans for HIPAA violations, OCR means business these days...

• Congenital anomaly codes contain more information in ICD-10-CM

  One of the advantages to coding in ICD-10-CM is how much information is packed into a single...

• Don’t let underpayments fly under the radar

  Nearly 75% of participating hospitals nationwide with Recovery Auditor (RA) activity reported...

• Product of the week: Acute and Chronic Renal Failure Coding

  Renal failure coding continues to be a problem area for even the most experienced professionals...

• HIPAA Security Q&A: Responding to attorney requests for all medical records

  Q. A clinic receives attorney requests for medical records requesting "any and all medical...

• This week in Medicare Updates

  This week in Medicare Updates.

• Q&A: Why doesn't the physician query process always work?

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Issue 19, May 20, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Citing HIPAA, CVS to end prescription reminders via mail

  Goodbye, mailed prescription notices from CVS. CVS will stop in July the practice of mailing...

• Change your EMR to prepare for ICD-10

  Do you want to work harder or work smarter? We all know electronic medical records (EMR) are great...

• ACDIS/AHIMA brief provides guidance on query best practices

  At the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS), questions on...

• The week in Medicare updates

  New HCPCS Codes for customized Durable Medical Equipment On May 6, CMS issued a transmittal to...

• Steps to comply with HIPAA 2.0: Revise your policies and procedures

  One thing the release of the omnibus final rule has left healthcare ­organizations asking is...

• Solidify processes to avoid HAC penalties

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Issue 18, May 13, 2013

• Keep an eye on compliance

  How robust is your facility’s compliance program? When did you last update it? Do you know...

• Wife of slain coach: Is HIPAA privacy more important than a life?

  The wife of a murdered high school football coach urged Congress during testimony April 26 to...

• Don't burn those ICD-9-CM Manuals just yet

  Planning a big bonfire for October 1, 2014, using your ICD-9-CM Manuals as fuel? You might want to...

• An insider’s guide: What it takes for an effective HIPAA compliance plan for business associates

  Business associates (BA) definitely have their work cut out for them. HHS' release of the final...

• HIPAA Q&A: Encrypting laptop hard drives

  Q. A long-term care facility has deployed laptops that connect to a file server and are password...

• Physician engagement is key to coding accuracy

  William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP, a practicing ­pulmonologist and director of DRG Review, Inc...

• Product of the week: Principal Diagnosis: Ensure Accurate MS-DRG Assignment live audio conference

  The accurate selection of principal diagnosis is essential for your facility’s reimbursement...

• The week in Medicare updates

  The week in Medicare updates 

• Take our sepsis survey

  Sepsis. Ureosepsis. Severe Sepsis. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Bacteremia...

Issue 17, May 6, 2013

• CMS focuses on quality in IPPS proposed rule

  Because we are currently under a code freeze until ICD-10 implementation October 1, 2014...

• OCR: More guidance coming on HIPAA mega rule

  OCR will be providing additional guidance on the HIPAA “mega rule,” the all-in-one...

• Get to know ICD-10 codes for wrist and hand conditions

  Penny comes in to see Dr. Morang for pain in her wrist. After performing a comprehensive exam and...

• HIPAA mega rule includes impact on HIM

  HIM directors must revisit and potentially refine processes for patient record restriction requests...

• Privacy standards for de-identification revisited

  The HIPAA Privacy Rule de-identification ­standard-Section 164.514(a)-includes two ­methods...

• HIPAA Security Q&A: What is permitted regarding registration areas and privacy requirements?

  Q. In a hospital setting, what is permitted regarding registration areas and ­privacy...

• Product of the week: Principal Diagnosis: Ensure Accurate MS-DRG Assignment live audio conference

  The accurate selection of principal diagnosis is essential for your facility’s reimbursement...

• Provider Roundtable seeks new members

  The Provider Roundtable (PRT) was established in 2003 to give CMS the benefit of providers&rsquo...

• The week in Medicare updates

  The week in Medicare updates

• Take our brief sepsis survey

  Sepsis. Ureosepsis. Severe Sepsis. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Bacteremia...

Issue 16, April 29, 2013

• ICD-10 readiness remains a hot topic

  AHIMA held its annual ICD-10-CM/PCS Summit last week in Baltimore and not surprisingly, presenters...

• CMS reaffirms October 1, 2014 implementation date for ICD-10

  It was almost inevitable. The possibility of another ICD-10 delay was brought up during the AHIMA...

• OCR to propose reducing HIPAA barriers to filing information with NICS

  HHS on April 19 reported an executive action to address unnecessary legal barriers under HIPAA that...

• Diagnostic errors common, costly, and harmful

  Wrong site surgeries and medication mishaps get all the gory malpractice headlines, but diagnostic...

• Diagnostic errors common, costly, and harmful

  Wrong site surgeries and medication mishaps get all the gory malpractice headlines, but diagnostic...

• Diagnostic errors common, costly, and harmful

  Wrong site surgeries and medication mishaps get all the gory malpractice headlines, but diagnostic...

• Diagnostic errors common, costly, and harmful

  Wrong site surgeries and medication mishaps get all the gory malpractice headlines, but diagnostic...

• HIPAA Q&A: Patient information sheets sent to departments

  Q. We have many departments throughout our healthcare organization that need patient information...

• Tip: Recognize pediatric CDI target areas

  Physicians don’t document the same way for pediatric patients as they do for adult patients...

• Condition code 44: How coders and billers can help ensure compliance

   Although coders and billers don't play a role in determining whether condition code 44 is...

• Condition code 44: How coders and billers can help ensure compliance

   Although coders and billers don't play a role in determining whether condition code 44 is...

• Product of the week: Principal Diagnosis: Ensure Accurate MS-DRG Assignment live audio conference

  The accurate selection of principal diagnosis is essential for your facility’s reimbursement...

• The week in Medicare updates

  The week in Medicare updates 

Issue 15, April 22, 2013

• Add mitigating fraud risks to your ICD-10 to-do list

  HIM managers are probably the group paying the most attention the upcoming switch to ICD-10. After...

• Don't look for one size fits all ICD-10 fix

  Here’s a stat that will come as no surprise to most coders: approximately 50% of physicians...

• Florida health system faces class-action HIPAA suit

  Former hospital patient Richard Faircloth fileda class action lawsuit against hospital owner...

• Consumer Reports expands hospital ratings list

  Consumer Reports has nearly doubled the number of hospitals that fall under the updated hospital...

• HIPAA Q&A: Release of medical information

  Q. I was told I would be "terminated" if I did not sign a release of medical information...

• Tip: Take steps to comply with HIPAA Omnibus rule

  Organizations have until September 23 to get into compliance with the new HIPAA Omnibus rule...

• ACDIS/AHIMA brief provides guidance on query best practices

  At the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS), questions on...

• Charging for Ancillary Bedside Procedures and Supplies in 2013, live audio conference April 29

  Avoid double-dipping and missed revenue opportunities. Join HCPro at 1 p.m. (Eastern) Monday, April...

Issue 13, April 15, 2013

• Recovery Auditors remain in the news

  The Recovery Auditor (RA) program is alive and well judging by the number of news items popping up...

• Provider gets 12 years in prison for $10 million Medicare fraud and HIPAA identity theft

  The U.S. Attorney’s office in Eastern New York announced April 10 that an owner and officer...

• Putting a broken jaw back together in ICD-10

  Sidney is admitted to Stitch ‘Em Up Hospital after being hit in the mouth with a hockey puck...

• Three security tips to help safeguard PHI

  Many healthcare organizations face the challenge of protecting patient records and reducing the...

• Coded data drives so much more than reimbursement

  Researcher Bill Rudman, PhD, RHIA, says he didn't fully understand the implications of codes that...

• ACDIS to hold annual conference in May

  The Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS)—the nation’s...

• Upcoming CMS events

  CMS will hold four National Provider calls in April including a newly announced call focused on the...

• Charging for Ancillary Bedside Procedures and Supplies in 2013, live audio conference April 29

  Avoid double-dipping and missed revenue opportunities.Join HCPro at 1 p.m. (Eastern) Monday, April...

Issue 12, April 8, 2013

• Correctly charging ancillary bedside procedures

  What ancillary bedside services do you charge for in addition to your room rate for inpatients? Are...

• HIT errors ’tip of the iceberg,’ says ECRI

  Healthcare systems' transitions from paper records to electronic ones are causing harm and in so...

• Lawsuit claims IRS stole 60 million medical records

  IRS agents stole 10 million people’s medical records without a warrant – including...

• CMS plans ICD-10 planning call April 18

  Will you be ready for ICD-10? The ICD-10 implementation date draws closer by the day and CMS wants...

• Intermountain Fined $25.5M for Self-Disclosed Stark Violations

  Intermountain Healthcare will pay the federal government $25.5 million to resolve self-reported...

• Ten steps to help you comply with the HIPAA final rule

  Privacy and security officers got their marching orders when HHS released the long-awaited new...

• Outpatient Coding Edits: Learn the Logic Behind the Edits live webcast May 15

  Coders routinely use modifiers, especially modifier -59, to override coding edits to ensure their...

Issue 11, April 1, 2013

• OCR surveying HIPAA-audited entities about experience

  The OCR is taking an interest in how covered entities fare in their HIPAA audits by conducting...

• EHRs rush in where doctors fear to tread

  Electronic health records (EHR) are the future, but physicians have yet to embrace them for a...

• ICD-10 tip: ICD-10-PCS root operation change will do you good

  Coders are preparing for big changes on October 1, 2014, with ICD-10-PCS implementation rolling...

• CMS releases second ICD-10 NCD transmittal

  In a new transmittal, CMS has unveiled updated national coverage determination (NCD) edits that...

• HIPAA Q&A

  Do medical supply companies need to have Business Associate Agreements with each facility from...

Issue 10, March 25, 2013

• 10 technologies hospital leaders should be watching

  In its annual list, the ECRI Institute identifies 10 technologies it says bear consideration by...

• Medicare Audit Improvement Act reintroduced, AHIMA shows support

  The Medicare Audit Improvement Act, which aims to rectify problems identified in the Recovery...

• ICD-10 tip: Coding for infectious and parasitic diseases

  When it comes to coding for infectious and parasitic diseases, the translation from ICD-9-CM to...

• HIPAA Q&A

  As a Medicare beneficiary, do you have the right to access the UB-04 form that a hospital submits...

Issue 9, March 18, 2013

• CMS issues proposed changes to Part B inpatient billing in hospitals

  Effective Wednesday March 13, hospitals denied payment because a Part A inpatient stay was deemed...

• HIPAA Q&A

  Chris Apgar, CISSP, CEO and president of Apgar & Associates, LLC answers your HIPAA questions...

• HCPro’s 2013 Recovery Auditor Benchmarking Report

  In 2012, Recovery Auditors continued to expand their reach and gain speed. How has your facility...

• Phone company introduces secure medical record exchange

  Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) will introduce the first national service enabling physicians to...

• GERD yourself for coding digestive diseases in ICD-10-CM

  Take a look at this week’s ICD-10 trainer tip, which looks at coding gastro-esophageal reflux...

• HIPAA/HITECH Omnibus Final Rule: Stay Compliant With 2013 Changes

  On Wednesday May 8, join HCPro for an informative audio conference that will help listeners...