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HITECH ACT. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) was passed on February 17, 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka The Stimulus Bill).. HITECH Act. Allocates money for healthcare infrastructure and adoption of electronic health records (EHRs)Adds breach notification requirementsExpands business associate obligations and establishes direct liabilityAmends the HIPAA Privacy RuleEnhances enforcement and increases penalties.
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1. HITECH ACT AND RED FLAG RULES Presented by:
Jason Davis
Stoel Rives LLP
October 9, 2009
2. HITECH ACT The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) was passed on February 17, 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka The Stimulus Bill).
3. HITECH Act Allocates money for healthcare infrastructure and adoption of electronic health records (EHRs)
Adds breach notification requirements
Expands business associate obligations and establishes direct liability
Amends the HIPAA Privacy Rule
Enhances enforcement and increases penalties
4. HITECH Act: Plan Promote electronic exchange and use of health information and enterprise integration of such information
Enhance use of health information technology to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce medical errors, reduce health disparities, improve public health, and improve the continuity of care
Utilization of an EHR for each person by 2014
Incorporate privacy and security protections forthe electronic exchange of health information
5. HITECH Act: Financial Incentives $19 billion investment to further national adoption of health information technology and infrastructure
To receive incentive payments, providers must demonstrate “meaningful use” of a certified EHR
Neither meaningful use nor certification has been defined at this time
Proposed rules expected by end of 2009
6. Financial Incentives: Eligible Professionals
7. Financial Incentives: Hospitals Begin October 2010 for meaningful EHR users
Eligible hospital can receive up to 4 years of payments
Incentive Payments are based on a formula that starts with a base amount of $2,000,000 and then is adjusted taking into account hospital Medicare discharges and charity care.
No payments to hospitals after 2015
8. Medicaid Payment Incentives 100% Federal matching for state expenditures for provider incentives to encourage eligible Medicaid providers to purchase certified EHRs.
Not a direct reimbursement, but payments can be made for up to 85% of allowable costs of such for EHR technology
The statute does not define fixed amounts for the incentive payments, only ceilings that cannot be exceeded. It is expected that actual payment amounts will be addressed through rulemaking
Cannot receive incentive payments under both
Medicare and Medicaid
9. Financial Penalties Eligible Professionals who are not using certified EHRs by 2015 will see reductions in Medicare Part B payments:
1% in 2015
2% in 2016
3% in 2017 and thereafter
If by 2018 75% of eligible professionals are not using EHR, the HHS Secretary can continue reducing Medicare payments up to 5%
Eligible hospitals that are not meaningful users will receive a net reduction of Ľ, ˝ and ľ of the market basket update that would apply in 2015, 2016, 2017 and thereafter.
10. HIPAA: Breach Notification Obligations Beginning September 23, 2009, covered entities and business associates have new notification obligations for a breach of unsecured protected health information.
“Unsecured Protected Health Information” is PHI in any form that is not rendered unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable through the use of a technology or methodology specified by HHS guidance (for now, encryption or destruction).
“Breach” is defined as the unauthorized acquisition, access, use or disclosure of PHI in a manner not permitted by the HIPAA Privacy Rule that compromises the security or privacy of such information.
“Compromises the security or privacy” of the PHI means poses a significant risk of financial, reputational, or other harm to the individual.
Certain actions are excluded from the definition of breach.
11. Breach Analysis PHI?
Use or disclosure prohibited by the HIPAA Privacy Rule?
Is a safe harbor met?
Does an exception apply?
Does the use or disclosure pose a significant risk to the patient?
12. Notice Requirements If a breach of unsecured PHI has occurred then:
Covered entities must notify all affected individuals without unreasonable delay, and in no case later than 60 calendar days.
Business associates must notify the covered entity of the breach, and the covered entity in turn must notify the impacted individuals.
13. Delivery of the Notice Notice must be:
in writing;
sent to the individual’s last known address;
if 10 or more individuals with no known address, substitute notice must be provided;
If breach involves more than 500 people in one state, notice must be provided through major media outlets;
if a breach involves more than 500 individuals, must notify HHS immediately.
if 500 or less individuals are affected, then must keep a log of the breach and submit log annually to HHS.
14. Content of the Notice Notice must contain:
brief description of the breach;
types of unsecured PHI involved in the breach;
steps an individual should take to protect himself or herself;
actions the covered entity is taking to investigate and mitigate losses from the breach; and
contact information for additional questions.
15. Breach Challenges More stringent state laws are not preempted
Documentation
Training the workforce
Updating policies and procedures
16. Business Associates Must comply with HIPAA Security Rule
Directly subject to enforcement and penalties
Impact to Business Associate Agreements
Roles and responsibilities relating to breach notification obligations
HHS likely to issue future guidance
17. Amendments to Privacy Rule Patient Right: Right to a Restriction
Effective February 17, 2010
Patient Right: Access to Electronic PHI
Effective February 17, 2010
Patient Right: Accounting of Disclosures
For entities with an EHR as of January 1, 2009, this obligation is effective January 1, 2014
For all others, effective the later of January 1, 2011 or the date the entity acquires an EHR
HHS is to issue guidance about this requirement andmay delay implementation an additional 2 years
18. Amendments to Privacy Rule (con’t) Redefines minimum necessary standard
Effective February 17, 2010
By August 17, 2010, HHS is to issue further guidance on what constitutes the minimum necessary
Marketing communications further restricted
Effective February 17, 2010
Prohibition on sale of Electronic PHI
Regulations are to be issued by August 17, 2010, to be effective not later than 6 months after issuance
19. Enhanced Enforcement Public Education
Audits
State Attorneys General civil actions
Patients share in monetary penalties (Regulations to be issued no later than February 17, 2012)
Civil monetary penalties collected to be retained by HHS for additional enforcement
20. Increase Penalties: Tiered Approach No knowledge
Minimum civil penalties: $100 to $50,000 per violation
Maximum: $1,500,000 for all violations of an identical requirement or prohibition during a calendar year
Reasonable cause, but not willful neglect
Minimum: $1,000 to $50,000 per violation
Maximum: $1,500,000 during a calendar year
Willful neglect
Minimum: $10,000 to $50,000 per violation
Maximum: $1,500,000 during a calendar year
Beginning February 17, 2011, HHS will be required to impose a monetary penalty if a violation is found due to willful neglect
21. Coming Soon Rulemaking by 12/31/2009 adopting standards and criteria on the following:
Technologies that protect the privacy and security of health information in a qualified EHR
A nationwide HIT infrastructure that allows for the electronic use and accurate exchange of health information
Utilization of a certified EHR by 2014
Technologies that allow health information to be rendered unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized persons when transmitted in the nationwide health information network
22. Red Flag Rules Rules implementing Section 114 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA)
Compliance Deadline: November 1, 2009?
Financial institutions and creditors must develop policies and procedures to identify and detect red flags and respond appropriately to prevent and mitigate identity theft.
23. Red Flag Rules Very broad coverage
Any financial institution or creditors
Creditor is defined broadly to include any business that regularly defers payments for goods or services or provide goods or services and bill the consumer later.
“Covered accounts” includes any account that a financial institution or creditor offers or maintains where there is a foreseeable risk of identity theft
Identity theft is broadly defined
24. What are Red Flags? Red Flags are potential patterns, practices or specific activities indicating the possibility of identity theft
Examples:
Alerts, Notifications or Warnings from a Consumer Reporting Agency or Service Provider (such as a fraud detection service)
Suspicious Documents
Suspicious Personal Identifying Information
Suspicious Activity Related to the Covered Account
Notice from Customers, Victims of Identity Theft, Law Enforcement Authorities, or Other Sources
25. Program Development and Compliance: Step 1: Risk Assessment
A. Identify Covered Accounts (e.g., patient accounts)
Reasonably foreseeable risk to customers or the safety and soundness of the financial institution or creditor
Using the red flag examples provided in the Rules, identify relevant red flags that could occur. Consider:
The types of accounts offered
The methods to open or access an account
Previous experience with identity theft
Initiate risk management efforts as needed (gap remediation)
26. Program Development and Compliance: Step 2: Detect Red Flags
Develop process to detect red flags at account origination
Obtain and verify identifying information
Monitor for red flags
Reconcile discrepancies
Develop process to detect red flags for existing accounts
Monitor accounts and transactions for red flags
Verify change of address requests
Train the workforce
27. Program Development and Compliance: Step 3: Respond to red flags to prevent and mitigate the occurrence of identity theft
Analyze red flags that are detected
Identify stakeholders to investigate possible red flags
Take responsive measures for actual risk
Document a reasonable basis for “non-action”
Step 4: Oversee Service Provider
Identify service providers granted access to covered accounts
Ensure contracts require service providers to maintain an Identity Theft Prevention Program
28. Program Development and Compliance: Step 5: Oversee Program
Board of Directors (or Board Committee) must approve the Program
Ensure independent review of the Program (Audit)
Receive annual reporting to address:
Effectiveness of the Program and policies and procedures
Service provider arrangements
Management response to significant incidents
Recommendations for updating the Program
29. Program Development and Compliance: Step 6: Train relevant employees
Step 7: Develop comprehensive reporting to the Board
Step 8: Update the Program periodically:
Revisit the risk assessment considering new business units and types of accounts
Reassess red flag relevancy considering new fraud experiences, trends and techniques
30. Questions?
Jason Davis, Stoel Rives LLPjwdavis@stoel.com
503-294-9868