CMS Penalizes More Than 700 Hospitals for High Rates of Hospital-Acquired Conditions
In FY 2015, CMS began reducing Medicare payments for hospitals that rank in the worst-performing quartile for hospital-acquired conditions (HACs).…
OCR Enters into a $750,000 HIPAA Settlement for Organization’s Failure to Implement Effective Policies and Procedures
The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has entered into a settlement agreement with the University of Washington Medicine (UWM)…
Yates Memorandum: What Steps Compliance Officers Should Take
This is the second blog in a series regarding the Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates’ memorandum (“Yates Memo”), which emphasizes…
False Claims Act Whistleblowers Lead to $2.8 Billion in Recoveries
The DOJ reported that the Civil Division recovered $2.8 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2015 as a result of 638…
Sanction Screening Tips for Compliance Officers: HHS OIG Reports Taking Over 4,200 Administrative Sanctions in 2015
Various Federal laws provide the authority to impose administrative sanctions for fraud and abuse, as well as for other activities…
Independent Auditor (IA) Validation Process for Medicare Part C and D Program Audits
CMS has issued an updated memorandum mandating an Independent Auditor (IA) Validation Process for Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan…
OIG Advisory Opinion No. 15-14
The OIG issued an advisory opinion regarding a non-profit, tax-exempt, charitable organization’s (“Requestor’s”) program (the “Arrangement”) to help financially needy…
Reflections on the “Yates Memo” and New DOJ Guidelines
This blog release is a part of a series of articles relating to the memorandum by Deputy Attorney General Sally…
CMS Issues Report on Claims Rejected During First Month of ICD-9 to ICD-10 Transition
October 1st, or “D-day” for health systems across the country transitioning to the 10th revision of the International Classification of…
HIPAA Breaches of Mobile Devices Continue to Increase: Tips for Mobile Device Security
The growing use of mobile devices to communicate about patients increases the risk of HIPAA violations. Lost or stolen devices…
DOJ Reports $250 Million in Settlements With 70 Hospitals Over Cardiac Device
The Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that it has settled with 457 hospitals that implanted cardiac devices in Medicare patients…
Corporate Integrity Agreements: Holding Boards Accountable
For over a decade, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) has focused on Board…