HIPAA Final Rule: Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act: Manifestation or Manifested

February 19, 2013. Today, we finish examination of modifications of HIPAA Privacy under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), by focusing on the definition: manifestation or manifested. The modifications of HIPAA Privacy are in the Final Rule: Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Enforcement, and Breach Notification Rules Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act [HITECH Act] and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act; Other Modifications of the HIPAA Rules, which was published in the Federal Register on January 25, 2013. The effective date of the Final Rule is March 26, 2013, and covered entities and business associates must comply by September 23, 2013. Tomorrow, we begin to examine Final Rule modifications related to enforcement.

CMS Issues Final Administrative Simplification Final Rules Regarding Identifiers and ICD-10 Code Set Compliance Delay

August 24, 2012. Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed review and sent to the Federal Register for publication on September 5, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Final Rule: Administrative Simplification: Adoption of a Standard for a Unique Health Plan Identifier; Addition to the National Provider Identifier Requirements; and a Change to the Compliance Date for the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS) Medical Data Code Sets. The effective date of the Rule is November 5, 2012. Prior to publication on September 5, the Final Rule may be examined at or downloaded from the Office of the Federal Register’s Electronic Public Inspection Desk.

EFT and RA Transaction Operating Rules IFC Published in Federal Register August 10

August 10, 2012. Today, the Interim Final Rule with comment period (IFC): Administrative Simplification: Adoption of Operating Rules for Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) and Remittance Advice Transactions, was published in the Federal Register. The effective date of the IFC is the date of publication, August 10, 2012. Comments on the IFC may be submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on or before October 9, 2012, with submission instructions included on page 48008 of the IFC. Covered entities must be in compliance with the EFT & ERA Operating Rule Set by January 1, 2014.

HHS Issues HIPAA NPRM for Unique Health Plan Identifier and One Year Delay for ICD-10 Code Set Compliance

April 10, 2012. Yesterday, the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promulgated a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) entitled: Administrative Simplification: Adoption of a Standard for a Unique Health Plan Identifier; Addition to the National Provider Identifier Requirements; and a Change to the Compliance Date for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Medical Data Code Sets. The NPRM will be published in the Federal Register on April 17, 2012. Comments may be submitted to HHS for 30 days after publication. HHS indicates that “[w]hen made final, the effective date of this regulation would be October 1, 2012.”

IFR for HIPAA EFT Standard to be Published in Federal Register January 10, 2012

HIPAA.com discussed in its preceding posting this Interim Final Rule (IFR) for “adoption of standards and operating rules for Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) and operating rules for remittance advice…”, as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148). [124 STAT. 153] The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed its regulatory review on January 3, 2012, and the IFR is available for pre-publication review prior to January 10, 2012, when it will be published in the Federal Register. The title of the IFR is: Administrative Simplification: Adoption of Standards for Health Care Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs) and Remittance Advice.

IFR for EFT at OMB

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) its Interim Final Rule (IFR) for adoption of standards and operating rules for Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) and operating rules for remittance advice. Following review by OMB, the IFR is expected to be published in the Federal Register before January 1, 2012, as required by statute [124 STAT. 153]

House Passes Health Care Reform Bill: H.R. 3962, as Amended

On Saturday night, November 7, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The vote was 220 in favor, 215 against.