OCR issues final modifications to the HIPAA privacy, security, breach notification and enforcement rules to implement the HITECH Act *

USA - February 20 2013
On January 25, 2013, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule (Final Rule)…

Co-authors: Edward G. Zacharias, Jennifer S. Geetter, Bernadette M. Broccolo, Daniel F. Gottlieb, Ryan S. Higgins.

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HIPAA de-identification guidance *

USA - December 11 2012
Office of Civil Rights has released additional guidance addressing the de-identification of protected health information in accordance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

Co-authors: Jennifer S. Geetter, Amy M. Gordon, Daniel F. Gottlieb.

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Essential health benefits proposed rule: additional detail with few surprises *

USA - November 30 2012
The essential health benefits proposed rule, issued on November 20, 2012, defines the so-called Essential Health Benefits Package, composed of essential health benefits, cost-sharing limitations and actuarial value requirements.

Co-authors: Anne W. Hance.

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Key hospital pay-for-performance programs are now in effect *

USA - October 18 2012
Two key pay-for-performance programs created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program and Hospital Re-Admissions Penalties—went into effect this month.

Co-authors: Eric Zimmerman, Jessica M. Roth.

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CMS issues final rule on incorrectly classified SCHs *

USA - August 16 2012
On August 1, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule for fiscal year 2013.

Co-authors: Eric Zimmerman.

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