HIPAAlert is published monthly in support of the healthcare industry's efforts to work together towards HIPAA security and privacy. Subscribers total nearly 17,000.
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*** CMS to Host NPI Roundtable; Proposes Database for HIPAA Complaints
***
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week that it will host a National HIPAA National Provider Identifier (NPI) Roundtable conference call on September 14, 2005, at 2:00 PM ET. The call-in number is 1-877-203-0044 and the identification number is 5580762. No cost or registration required.
Also, CMS published a notice July 6 in the Federal Register describing a new records system that will store the results of regional investigations into complaints alleging violations of the HIPAA Transactions and Code Sets (TCS), Security and Unique Identifier provisions. Authorized under HIPAA, the HIPAA Information Tracking System (HITS) will store data on complaint allegations, information gathered during complaint investigations, and findings and results of the investigation. The notice describes proposed policies, procedures and restrictions on disclosures of the data, and invites comments on the records system. CMS will be using a contractor to manage and maintain the electronic compliants database.
Read more about the HIPAA Information Tracking System.
*** More Health IT Bills Introduced ***
The bipartisan push for health IT legislation gathered steam June 30 with the introduction of the Better Healthcare Through Information Technology Act sponsored by members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The bill is among 18 health IT bills pending. Key provisions in the bill include:
- protecting the privacy and security of health information
- fostering the widespread adoption of health IT
- establishing a public-private collaborative to identify uniform national data standards for health IT
Read more.
*** Commission Mulls State Medical Privacy Law Overrides ***
An advisory commission working to increase interoperability among the nation's health information systems may ask Congress to override state and local medical privacy laws when those laws are at variance with federal law. Differing state laws that protect the privacy of medical records is an obstacle to automated exchange of that information, according to members of the Commission on Systemic Interoperability. The 11-member commission is scheduled to deliver a report to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and to Congress by October 2005. The commission is considering overriding state laws among its recommendations.
Read more.
*** OCR Posts New FAQ on Disclosing PHI to P&A Systems ***
The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has answered a new Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) on disclosing protected health information (PHI) to Protection & Advocacy (P&A) systems. The FAQ states that the Privacy Rule permits a covered entity to disclose PHI without the authorization of the individual to a state-designated P&A system where the disclosure is required by law.
Read more.
*** CMS Announces NPI Transition Plan ***
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced its plans for transitioning to the National Provider Identifier (NPI) in the fee-for-service Medicare program. Through January 2, 2006, CMS claims processing systems will accept a current, or legacy, Medicare number and reject as unprocessable any claim that includes only a NPI. Beginning January 3, 2006, and through October 1, 2006, CMS systems will accept an existing legacy Medicare number or a NPI as long as it is accompanied by an existing legacy Medicare number. Beginning October 2, 2006, and through May 22, 2007, CMS systems will accept an existing legacy Medicare number and/or a NPI. This will allow for six to seven months of provider testing before only a NPI will be accepted by the Medicare Program on May 23, 2007. Beginning May 23, 2007, CMS systems will only accept a NPI. For more information, to complete an NPI application, and to access educational tools, visit https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov.
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