Resources

On December 14, 2018, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) issued a request for information (“RFI”) seeking input from the healthcare industry on how to improve the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) regulations to meet HHS’ goal of promoting coordinated, value-based care. 

On July 1, 2018, the Kansas Lay Caregiver Act (or CARE Act) goes into effect. The Act recognizes the importance of caregivers to a patient’s recovery after discharge from a hospital, and 35 states have already passed versions of the CARE Act through a national push from the AARP. Although many hospitals already allow for the designation of caregivers pursuant to existing standards and regulations, including Medicare Conditions of Participation, among others, Kansas hospitals need to be aware of the requirements the Act imposes and should take this opportunity to review existing policies for compliance with applicable laws.

On December 28, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (“CMS”) clarified its position on texting patient information from healthcare provider to provider. In its Memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors (S&C 18-10-ALL), CMS warned all texting of patient orders is prohibited, regardless of whether a secure platform is used to relay the orders, and texting of other patient information is permitted if relayed via a secure platform.

CMS proposed two new blows to hospital reimbursement this past week with the release of its 2018 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (“OPPS”) proposed rule and the 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (“MPFS”) proposed rule. CMS intends to significantly cut the reimbursement rates for 340B drugs and for non-excepted, provider-based department (“PBD”) services.

Natural and man-made disasters in recent years have highlighted how disasters can disrupt the environment of health care and change the demand for health care services. As a result, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a final rule establishing national emergency preparedness and coordination requirements for 17 different provider and supplier types including, but not limited to: Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Hospices, Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, Long-Term Care Facilities, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities, Community Mental Health Centers, and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities.