Breaches are expensive, and the price tag increases when preparation and formal documentation are lacking. Identity Theft Guard Solutions, LLC, in Portland, OR, doing business as ID Experts, has introduced a do-it-yourself breach assessment, monitoring, and investigation tool called RADAR™ that helps reduce costs associated with lack of preparation, breach investigation, notification, and documentation.
The May tornado that destroyed a medical center in Joplin, MO, raised an important question: How can healthcare providers protect patients' PHI when disaster strikes?
Business associates (BA) may not be the target of upcoming HIPAA compliance audits, but failure to comply with the regulations could be very costly, says Tom Dumez, CHP.
The time for healthcare organizations to undertake a review of their operations is now-OCR anticipates that its long-awaited HIPAA compliance audit program will be under way this fall.
CMS has proposed to rescind the requirement for signatures on all lab requisitions, according to the "Medicare Program; Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule: Signature on Requisition" proposed rule published in the Federal Register June 30. The 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, published last November, requires a physician's or nonphysician practitioner's (NPP) signature on lab requisitions for tests paid under the clinical lab fee schedule, regardless of whether there is a signed order. This is the opposite of prior CMS rulings that indicated signatures were not required on requisitions, although written and signed orders were required.
