Despite opposition from many stakeholders, a bipartisan contingent of Congress, and CMS’ own advisory panel, the agency is moving forward with its plan to drastically cut payments for drugs acquired through the 340B drug discount program, according to the 2018 OPPS final rule, released November 1.
Q: I work for a home health agency. They’ve recently instructed us not to wear scrubs, lab coats, or anything that could obviously identify us as healthcare professionals. They’ve asked us to wear more business/professional casual attire because some patients complained that their neighbors saw nurses coming into the house and were concerned it was a HIPAA violation. Is this really a HIPAA concern, or could this be considered an incidental disclosure?
The largest source of estimated revenue loss in the healthcare midcycle in 2016 was attributed to inadequate documentation, according to a report by the Advisory Board. The report analyzed a range of hospitals in varying size, from 0–500 beds, to determine the impact of midcycle functions. The revenue loss reported for an average 250-bed hospital was $2–$5.5 million.
CMS now offers an elearning opportunity on the Quality Payment Program (QPP) through the MLN Learning Management System. This course is the fifth in a growing curriculum on the QPP and will offer 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.
Q: Our state child support enforcement agency requested the medical records of one of our pediatric patients. Are we allowed to respond to this request without a subpoena?
