May 6, 2020 OCR is sharing the following update with our listserv from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, warning individuals that advanced persistent threat (APT) groups are exploiting the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as part of their cyber operations. National Cyber Awareness System: […]
Webinar Recording Now Available: OCR Update on HIPAA and COVID-19
April 29, 2020 The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) hosted a webinar on April 24, 2020, for health IT stakeholders on HIPAA privacy and security issues related to COVID-19 and recent OCR actions related to the pandemic. A recording of this webinar is now available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2C6iOdS_FR0. The slides from this presentation […]
Trump Administration Launches New Toolkit to Help States Navigate COVID-19 Health Workforce Challenges
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Apr 22, 2020 At President Trump’s direction, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) released a new toolkit to help state and local healthcare decision makers maximize workforce flexibilities when confronting 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in their communities. This toolkit includes […]
CMS to allow providers to practice at top of license, across states
April 09, 2020 MICHAEL BRADY The CMS on Thursday will allow providers to practice across state lines and at their top of license. The new flexibilities allow doctors to treat patients at rural hospitals via telehealth, even if they’re out-of-state. Nurse practitioners will also be allowed to perform select medical exams for Medicare patients in […]
FBI Releases Guidance on Defending Against VTC Hijacking and Zoom-bombing
April 5, 2020 OCR is sharing the following update with our listserv from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, warning individuals to remain vigilant for scams related to COVID-19. National Cyber Awareness System: FBI Releases Guidance on Defending Against VTC Hijacking and Zoom-bombing 04/02/2020 11:39 […]
OCR Issues Bulletin on Civil Rights Laws and HIPAA Flexibilities That Apply During the COVID-19 Emergency
March 28, 2020 Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a bulletin to ensure that entities covered by civil rights authorities keep in mind their obligations under laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, […]
CMS sets up accelerated and advanced Medicare payments due to coronavirus
March 28, 2020 Modern Healthcare The CMS Saturday detailed how providers can access accelerated or advanced Medicare payments under the new economic stimulus package. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act—CARES—which President Donald Trump signed into law on Friday, enables all Medicare providers to tap into an emergency fund in order to shore up their […]
CMS provides exemptions to quality payment program participants amid COVID-19 crisis
March 22, 2020 AURORA AGUILAR The CMS on Sunday said it is easing reporting requirements for the 1.2 million clinicians in the Quality Payment Program and for other reporting programs in light of the COVID-19 crisis. Organizations participating in quality payment programs had expressed concern over accountability penalties and the potential of not receiving shared […]
CMS expands Medicare telehealth services to fight COVID-19
March 17, 2020 MICHAEL BRADY The Trump administration on Monday announced that it will expand telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries and cut back on HIPAA enforcement, the latest move to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Medicare will pay doctors and hospitals for a broad range of telehealth services on a temporary basis, effective March 6. The […]
Physician practices modify operations to cope with COVID-19
March 17, 2020 Maria Castellucci and Harris Meyer Beginning Tuesday, staff at Indiana University Health Physicians are calling patients with scheduled appointments for routine care to come in at a later date, many being scheduled six weeks out. The decision is one of many IU Health Physicians has made over the last 10 days […]