North Mississippi Medical Center (North Mississippi) submitted Medicare claims for polysomnography services that did not comply with Medicare billing requirements, resulting in an estimated $67,038 in overpayments for polysomnography services submitted over a two-year period, according to a recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) report.
Q: We had a patient admitted with a negative COVID-19 test, but after being retested the patient had a positive COVID-19 result. Should we query the provider whether COVID-19 was POA?
Q: If an individual provides authorization for a disclosure, can the individual later revoke the authorization? Is the covered entity (CE) then required to “take back” or demand the erasure of any documentation by third parties that may have been made following the original authorization?
Q: Do companies such as FitBit (and others that sell wearable devices that track and store health information) need to abide by HIPAA regulations? Should I be concerned with how these companies are viewing and sharing my health information?
Q: If we work with a business associate (BA) that enters into agreements with BA subcontractors, are we required to obtain copies of these agreements and review them?
Q: Are we allowed to use case studies involving real incidents that occurred at our facility as part of our HIPAA training? We’ve always been told that real-life examples will resonate with staff, but wouldn’t this be a HIPAA violation?
The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) urged Congress to act quickly to prevent an up to 4% reduction in Medicare spending in 2022.
Q: Healthcare in rural communities remains an issue. Hospitals in rural areas continue to close at an alarming rate, creating problems for many communities across the U.S. How can these communities respond, and what role can case managers play in this response?
