Q: My brother claims he read in his dentist's HIPAA statement that information was disclosed to CIA and other government agencies. I suspect that his dentist was editorializing, but wanted to check. Could you explain what should be included in a HIPAA statement that should be in physician/dentist offices? Can you direct me to the official statement?
The HIPAA Omnibus Rule, which includes modifications to the privacy and security rules, is in full effect now. And guess what? There's no reason to be terrified.
In January, I wrote about the perfect storm that led to the release of the 2014 OPPS final rule.
We endured a later-than-usual release, errors in the data files and a release of updated files, a government shutdown, and a vastly shortened window between the release of the final rule and implementation on January 1. Judging by the confusion among providers?and corrections and clarifications coming from CMS on what seems like a weekly basis on a wide range of issues?we're still not in the clear.
The ears--more formally, the auditory system--have their own chapter in ICD-10-CM, no longer relegated to the end of the neurology codes. Codes in Chapter 8, Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process (H60-H95), are located between the chapters for the optical system and the circulatory system.
