AAAHC Earns Deemed Status Renewal from CMS
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care announces today that it has been awarded CMS approval as a national accreditation organization for ambulatory surgery centers that request participation in the Medicare Deemed Status Accreditation program.
DEA Extends Telemedicine Prescription Waiver One More Year
Healthcare providers will be able to prescribe scheduled drugs via telemedicine for at least one more year, thanks to a last-minute extension of a pandemic-era waiver by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Anticipating OSHA’s Healthcare Rulemakings
OSHA has been developing three industry-specific rulemakings that could significantly impact healthcare industry compliance. By the end of the year, the industry could see one new final regulation and two proposed rules.
Are RPM Programs Riddled With Fraud?
Following a report this week from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) hinting at a possibility of fraud in requests for Medicare reimbursement in RPM programs, the Alliance for Connected Care has criticized the “inaccuracies and subjective nature” of that report and called on the OIG to retract it.
Can NPs and PAs Replace Physicians?
Non-physician providers like nurse practitioners and physician assistants have formally been around since the 1960s, but over the last 10 to 15 years, there’s been large growth in these areas, Bernard notes. In 2020, the number of non-physician providers was around 277,000, but more recent tallies bring that number to 545,000.
HHS Drops Plan to Restrict Hospital Use of Data-Tracking Tech
The rule stated that entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) “are not permitted to use tracking technologies in a manner that would result in impermissible disclosures of PHI to tracking technology vendors or any other violations of HIPAA Rules.”
Texas’ New Healthcare Workplace Violence Law: What It Requires
As violence against healthcare workers occurs with greater frequency than in any other industry, the state of Texas is requiring healthcare facilities to adopt workplace violence prevention plans by September 1, 2024.
Enhancing Dialysis Care in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Focus on Certification Standards
With the introduction of the Long-Term Care Dialysis (LTCD) Certification, the Accreditation Commission for Health Care aims to elevate the standards of care for this vulnerable population. This article explores the critical components of the LTCD Certification, its impact on patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and the importance of collaboration between providers.
Here’s How the Chevron Decision Will Impact Healthcare
Hospitals and health systems will now potentially have to wait through legal challenges to regulations that were previously determined by the many federal agencies that influence healthcare. The 6-3 decision was made on June 28 to reverse the original ruling made in the landmark case Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., in 1984. It is now up to the courts to determine their own interpretations of ambiguous regulatory standards.
CMS Pushes Organizations to Improve Star Ratings and Quality of Care
Medicare Advantage plans often face a range of challenges in maintaining and improving their Star Ratings—everything from member churn to aging membership to increased competition. But moving from a 3.5-star to a 4-star rating can result in an average additional $400 per member per year.