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Policy and Legislation

By Stephanie Bouchard | 11:20 am | July 08, 2011
The University of California at Los Angeles Health System (UCLAHS) is settling potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules for $865,500 said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights.
By Randy Wiitala | 12:36 pm | July 07, 2011
In the near future, Recovery Audit Contractors and Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) will take "appropriate action" on erroneously allowed claims identified in a recently completed audit (OEI-07-09-00450) by OIG.
By Rene Letourneau | 10:02 am | July 07, 2011
Physicians working under contract with the federal government practice less defensive medicine than their private sector peers, according to a new survey by Atlanta-based clinical staffing organization, Jackson Healthcare.
By Stephanie Bouchard | 11:37 am | July 06, 2011
Over the last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued proposed changes that will update payment policies and rates for physicians, dialysis facilities and for services to Medicare beneficiaries in hospital outpatient departments and decrease Medicare payments to home health agencies.
By Rene Letourneau | 10:50 am | July 05, 2011
In its June Health Tracking Poll, Kaiser Family Foundation found that Americans generally do not have confidence in Congress or private insurers to keep Medicare financially sound.
By Roger Collier | 10:43 am | July 05, 2011
The first of three anticipated federal Courts of Appeals decisions on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act was handed down by a Sixth Circuit panel in Cincinnati—and it was a win for the Obama administration.
By Mike Stephens | 09:53 am | July 01, 2011
Well, thankfully there has been a quick decision to forget the idea to use tax payer money to assess the doctor shortage issue we have in this country. Guess it took all the negative press for some in Washington to realize the time and money they would spend would be irresponsible.
By Rene Letourneau | 05:24 pm | June 30, 2011
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) took the first steps to implement an Affordable Care Act provision that cuts red tape in the healthcare system and saves an estimated $12 billion over the next ten years.
By Bernie Monegain | 03:19 pm | June 30, 2011
New models for reimbursing physicians that put a greater financial risk on the medical practice is the No. 1 challenge in a list of five concerns that weigh most heavily on practice administrators, according to new research from the Medical Group Management Association.
By Stephanie Bouchard | 11:43 am | June 30, 2011
A U.S. appeals court in Cincinnati upheld the individual mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Wednesday. The ruling was the first to address the constitutionality of the healthcare reform act's requirement that everyone purchase health insurance or be penalized.