Latest News:
Department of Health issues new sexual misconduct reporting rules. Effective May 1, 2008, the Washington State Department of Health has adopted new mandatory reporting requirements regarding sexual misconduct. The full text of the new rule can be viewed here.
President Bush signs Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). The legislation (HR 493) makes it illegal to deny people employment or health care coverage based on the results of genetic testing that show a predisposition to conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
Insurance Commissioner (OIC) proposes changes to Coordination of Benefit (COB) rules. Concerns have been raised that existing COB rules that require secondary plans to make estimated payments to providers, creates administrative complexity and workload for plans and providers. The Insurance Commissioner will consider eliminating the estimated payment requirement. Other potential changes to the COB rules may include the promotion of more timely and efficient coordination of benefits and protections against inappropriate patient billings. The Proposal
The OIC also intends to adopt new Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Rules.
The rules will be based on previously published bulletins. The OIC expects to have a draft rule developed within the next several months. The ‘94 Bulletins can be viewed at:
94-01.pdf, 94-02.pdf, and 94-03.pdf
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Information & Events:
OIG & CMS Gear up for HIPAA security audits. Lawyers for health care practioners are getting ready to defend against federal audits of health care practitioners and hospitals for compliance with HIPAA security regulations. While HIPAA compliance is scalable, if you have not done a self-audit of your clinic or facility, now is the time. Also, if you have not trained you staff as required by HIPAA, HCCS has an interactive course to train staff in HIPAA Privacy and Security which has been updated within recent months. HIPAA Training
Washington State Department of Health announces professional fee increases. The Department of Health has proposed fee increases for health professions. The rate increases vary. For example, license renewals for Chiropractors will increase from $270 to $520. Massage Therapist license renewals will go from $25 to $65. The DOH will accept comments on proposed increases until June 10. The proposed regulations can be viewed at: Proposed Rules
Articles: After recent criticism from the state auditor, health care practitioners can expect increased emphasis on professional discipline by the Washington State Department of Health. Health Care Insights See Also the Auditor's Report. DOH Audit Report
Learning: HIPAA privacy training videos are now available to satisfy regulatory training requirements. HIPAA Training
Law Bulletins: The Washington State Department of Health has adopted new rules governing the mandatory reporting of certain behavior and incidents involving patients and health care practitioners. Read the new rule
