Q: I have heard that HIPAA says covered entities must keep data backups a minimum of five miles away from the original site where the data was collected. Is this correct? Are there any restrictions or guidance about the location of data backups?
Q: I work for a behavioral health recovery center, and many of our programs fall under 42 CFR Part 2, as we provide substance use services. Sometimes a referring agency follows up to ask if a client has scheduled an appointment. Can we confirm that a patient has made an appointment? Do referral appointments like this fall under PHI?
On June 11, CMS published a Request for Information (RFI) as part of its Patients Over Paperwork initiative to collect public input on ways to reduce unnecessary administrative and regulatory burden.
New research from Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston claims three health interventions related to cardiovascular disease could extend the lives of 94 million people globally in the next 25 years.
CMS initiated an Annual Call for Measures in 2019 to allow eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals to submit proposals for new measures to be included in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program under the IPPS.
The American Medical Collection Agency recently began notifying its clients of a hack that exposed personal and billing data of its clients, including approximately 11.9 million Quest Diagnostic patients and 7.7 million LabCorp patients.
Q: A physician orders a comprehensive metabolic panel (CPT code 80053) and an additional quantitative blood sample to measure blood glucose level (CPT code 82947). Would the physician report modifier -91 (repeat clinical diagnostic laboratory test) or -59 to indicate that the blood sample was performed separately from the panel?
Q: I am a college student who had to miss three days of classes because I was ill. One of my professors needed proof that I was too ill to attend class. When I asked the health center for a note, they said it would be a HIPAA violation to provide any details about my illness. Were they right?
