Regulators never take a holiday, especially in December when giving seems so right. Washington D.C. and Washington State have given new gifts to unwrap throughout the coming year. On December 16th, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), a subsidiary of the conglomerate Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the United Stated…
With the election of Donald Trump and retention of a Republican Congress, “Obamacare” dies. But “repeal and replace” simply means that Congress will repeal and Washington State will replace. Sure the money will be gone; but, the rules won’t change. Instead, we face the tedious, expensive, and confusing process of revising insurance forms and processes…
I’ve always admired the modesty of regulatory agencies and their polite expression of force. You might be pleased to learn that the Department of Labor (DOL) just issued interim final rules “to adjust the amounts of civil penalties assessed or enforced in its regulations.” Of course, if you understand official language, you know that the…
Business Associates who fail to conduct health information risk assessments and adopt required security policies and procedures face a growing threat of discovery and fines. Catholic Health Care Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CHCS) got more than a prayerful penance after violating HIPAA rules. The $650,000 fine imposed by HHS arose from the reported theft of a CHCS issued, unencrypted…
Don’t show me anything, don’t send me anything, don’t even speak to me. It’s the only way I can think of to avoid the growing liabilities associated with failure to secure personal information. Recent guidance from federal HIPAA regulators makes information security optional for patients the law was written to protect. Before you wander off, information…
This past legislative session, the Washington House of Representatives considered regulation of third party administrators (TPAs) as recommended by the state Insurance Commissioner. After some confusion over what the Commissioner intended and what should be amended, the bill died a quiet death in committee. Policymakers quickly discovered that TPA regulation had become a surrogate for indirectly addressing…
