Imminent Cybercrime Threat to US Health Care Providers
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and two federal agencies are warning of an "imminent cybercrime threat" to US hospitals and health care providers, noting that several hospitals across the country have already been hit. In a joint advisory, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said they have "credible information" that cybercriminals are taking new aim at health care providers and public health agencies as the COVID-19 pandemic reaches new heights. "Malicious cyber actors" may soon be planning to "infect systems with Ryuk ransomware for financial gain" on a scale not yet seen across the American healthcare system. Hospitals, physician practices, and public health organizations should take "timely and reasonable precautions to protect their networks from these threats." Malware targeting techniques often lead to “ransomware attacks, data theft, and the disruption of healthcare services." The agencies recommend several mitigation steps and best practices for health care entities to take to reduce their risk, including the following:
The AMA and the American Hospital Association (AHA) have created two resources to help physicians and hospitals guard against cyber threats. Those resources and additional cyber security information can be found at the AMA’s cybersecurity webpage.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and two federal agencies are warning of an "imminent cybercrime threat" to US hospitals and health care providers, noting that several hospitals across the country have already been hit. In a joint advisory, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said they have "credible information" that cybercriminals are taking new aim at health care providers and public health agencies as the COVID-19 pandemic reaches new heights. "Malicious cyber actors" may soon be planning to "infect systems with Ryuk ransomware for financial gain" on a scale not yet seen across the American healthcare system. Hospitals, physician practices, and public health organizations should take "timely and reasonable precautions to protect their networks from these threats." Malware targeting techniques often lead to “ransomware attacks, data theft, and the disruption of healthcare services." The agencies recommend several mitigation steps and best practices for health care entities to take to reduce their risk, including the following:
- Patch operating systems, software, and firmware as soon as manufacturers release updates.
- Regularly change passwords to network systems and accounts and avoid reusing passwords for different accounts.
- Use multi-factor authentication where possible.
- Disallow use of personal email accounts
- Disable unused remote access/Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) ports and monitor remote access/RDP logs.
- Identify critical assets; create backups of these systems and house the backups offline from the network.
- Set antivirus and anti-malware solutions to automatically update; conduct regular scans.
The AMA and the American Hospital Association (AHA) have created two resources to help physicians and hospitals guard against cyber threats. Those resources and additional cyber security information can be found at the AMA’s cybersecurity webpage.
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Stop Physician Pay Cuts Under Medicare
On Friday, U.S. Representatives Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-Ind.), introduced bipartisan legislation to provide critical relief to physicians responding to the COVID-19 pandemic who are scheduled to receive Medicare payment cuts next year. The Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act would ensure payments to these providers are kept stable at 2020 levels for the next two years. AAOS is working with Reps. Bera and Bucshon to increase support for the bill as one of several congressional pathways for mitigating the effects of finalized and recently proposed policies from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Read the press release…
View the AAOS Advocacy Action Center…
Source: AAOS Headline News Now - November 2, 2020
On Friday, U.S. Representatives Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-Ind.), introduced bipartisan legislation to provide critical relief to physicians responding to the COVID-19 pandemic who are scheduled to receive Medicare payment cuts next year. The Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act would ensure payments to these providers are kept stable at 2020 levels for the next two years. AAOS is working with Reps. Bera and Bucshon to increase support for the bill as one of several congressional pathways for mitigating the effects of finalized and recently proposed policies from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Read the press release…
View the AAOS Advocacy Action Center…
Source: AAOS Headline News Now - November 2, 2020
ONC for HIT Announces Extension of Compliance Deadlines
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) announced it is extending compliance deadlines for certain information blocking and health IT certification requirements. Originally, ONC’s Information Blocking Rule required all Actors—including physicians and hospitals—to come into compliance with information blocking requirements by November 2, 2020. Responding to the AMA’s advocacy efforts requesting additional time and flexibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ONC’s interim final rule now pushes the information blocking compliance date to April 5, 2021.
In anticipation of physician compliance with ONC’s information blocking rule, the AMA has created a two-part educational resource. Part 1 outlines what information blocking is, key terms to know, examples of information blocking practices, and a summary of exceptions for when physicians may restrict access, exchange, and use of electronic health information. Part 2 will help physicians start down the path of compliance, including questions to consider, considerations for maintaining a compliance program, and next steps. The AMA will continue to update these resources as the federal government releases new guidance.
Part 1: What is Information Blocking
Part 2: How do I comply with Information Blocking and where do I start?
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) announced it is extending compliance deadlines for certain information blocking and health IT certification requirements. Originally, ONC’s Information Blocking Rule required all Actors—including physicians and hospitals—to come into compliance with information blocking requirements by November 2, 2020. Responding to the AMA’s advocacy efforts requesting additional time and flexibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ONC’s interim final rule now pushes the information blocking compliance date to April 5, 2021.
In anticipation of physician compliance with ONC’s information blocking rule, the AMA has created a two-part educational resource. Part 1 outlines what information blocking is, key terms to know, examples of information blocking practices, and a summary of exceptions for when physicians may restrict access, exchange, and use of electronic health information. Part 2 will help physicians start down the path of compliance, including questions to consider, considerations for maintaining a compliance program, and next steps. The AMA will continue to update these resources as the federal government releases new guidance.
Part 1: What is Information Blocking
Part 2: How do I comply with Information Blocking and where do I start?
Senators Introduce Legislation To Prevent Surprise Medical Bills
The Hill (9/18, Sullivan) reports senators from both parties are “unveiling a draft measure to crack down on surprise medical bills, which they say have plagued patients with massive unexpected charges for care.” The legislation “would prevent a health care provider that is outside of a patient’s insurance network from charging additional costs for emergency services to patients beyond the amount usually allowed under their insurance plan.” In addition, insurers, not patients, “would have to pay additional charges, which are limited under the proposal.”
Source: AMA Morning Rounds
The Hill (9/18, Sullivan) reports senators from both parties are “unveiling a draft measure to crack down on surprise medical bills, which they say have plagued patients with massive unexpected charges for care.” The legislation “would prevent a health care provider that is outside of a patient’s insurance network from charging additional costs for emergency services to patients beyond the amount usually allowed under their insurance plan.” In addition, insurers, not patients, “would have to pay additional charges, which are limited under the proposal.”
Source: AMA Morning Rounds
August 8, 2018
Employers contracting directly with hospitals, providers to lower health care costs, survey indicates
CNN Money (8/7, Luhby) reports more and more “companies are contracting directly with hospitals and providers to take care of their employees, according to an annual survey released Tuesday by the National Business Group on Health.” Data show about 11 percent of companies intend to do this in 2019, compared to three percent in 2018. The article says, “Also becoming more popular are direct contracts between companies and providers to handle certain pricey conditions, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, fertility treatments and orthopedic needs.” The survey revealed that about “18% of companies said they are negotiating these deals for 2019, up from 12% this year.”
Modern Healthcare (8/7, Livingston, Subscription Publication) reports that according to the survey, large companies and their employees will pay more for health care next year. Data indicate companies will “pay $14,800 per employee for health coverage in 2019, an increase of 5% from $14,099 this year.” Companies are expected to pay approximately 70 percent of the costs, while employees will cover the remaining 30 percent.
Employers contracting directly with hospitals, providers to lower health care costs, survey indicates
CNN Money (8/7, Luhby) reports more and more “companies are contracting directly with hospitals and providers to take care of their employees, according to an annual survey released Tuesday by the National Business Group on Health.” Data show about 11 percent of companies intend to do this in 2019, compared to three percent in 2018. The article says, “Also becoming more popular are direct contracts between companies and providers to handle certain pricey conditions, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, fertility treatments and orthopedic needs.” The survey revealed that about “18% of companies said they are negotiating these deals for 2019, up from 12% this year.”
Modern Healthcare (8/7, Livingston, Subscription Publication) reports that according to the survey, large companies and their employees will pay more for health care next year. Data indicate companies will “pay $14,800 per employee for health coverage in 2019, an increase of 5% from $14,099 this year.” Companies are expected to pay approximately 70 percent of the costs, while employees will cover the remaining 30 percent.
July 26, 2018
Azar: HHS to rewrite health care privacy rules
Congressional Quarterly (7/26, McIntire, Subscription Publication) reports that on Thursday, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said his department intends “to begin rewriting federal health care privacy regulations.” HHS will “release requests for comment on three laws, including the anti-kickback statute and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPPA, in the ‘coming months,’ Azar said during a speech at the conservative Heritage Foundation.” He added, “Following those requests for information, we will be taking regulatory action to reform these rules.” Azar explained that “the laws are decades-old and revamping them will help in the health care sector’s ongoing transition from paying for volume to value.” HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan will lead this effort.
Azar: HHS to rewrite health care privacy rules
Congressional Quarterly (7/26, McIntire, Subscription Publication) reports that on Thursday, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said his department intends “to begin rewriting federal health care privacy regulations.” HHS will “release requests for comment on three laws, including the anti-kickback statute and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPPA, in the ‘coming months,’ Azar said during a speech at the conservative Heritage Foundation.” He added, “Following those requests for information, we will be taking regulatory action to reform these rules.” Azar explained that “the laws are decades-old and revamping them will help in the health care sector’s ongoing transition from paying for volume to value.” HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan will lead this effort.
May 10, 2018
QPP Group Eligibility Status Now Available
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that physician practices/groups may now log into the CMS QPP website to check their 2018 eligibility for Medicare’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). After groups log in, they will be able to click into a details screen to see the eligibility status of every clinician in the group ( based on their National Provider Identifier or NPI) to find out whether they need to participate during the 2018 performance year for MIPS.
Unfortunately, CMS will not be sending out letters to advise physicians of their eligibility status this year so checking on the QPP participation status look-up tool is the only way to determine or verify eligibility status. Eligibility rules in 2018 are different than in 2017 so status this year may be different than last. Also as is indicated in the look-up tool, exempt individual clinicians still will need to report if their group is eligible and chooses to report as a group.
The look-up tool can be found at https://qpp.cms.gov/participation-lookup
Unfortunately, CMS will not be sending out letters to advise physicians of their eligibility status this year so checking on the QPP participation status look-up tool is the only way to determine or verify eligibility status. Eligibility rules in 2018 are different than in 2017 so status this year may be different than last. Also as is indicated in the look-up tool, exempt individual clinicians still will need to report if their group is eligible and chooses to report as a group.
The look-up tool can be found at https://qpp.cms.gov/participation-lookup
IPAB Repeal Achieved
We would like to thank all the groups who supported our efforts over the years to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which is officially repealed! IPAB repeal language was included in the two-year budget agreement that the U.S. Senate and House both successfully passed and was signed by the President this morning. Thanks again to everyone for your hard work and support in making IPAB repeal possible. Congratulations!
Click Here to View Document
We would like to thank all the groups who supported our efforts over the years to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which is officially repealed! IPAB repeal language was included in the two-year budget agreement that the U.S. Senate and House both successfully passed and was signed by the President this morning. Thanks again to everyone for your hard work and support in making IPAB repeal possible. Congratulations!
Click Here to View Document
IPAB Repeal Included in Budget Deal
Good news on the IPAB repeal front. IPAB repeal language is included in the budget agreement language that was released today and endorsed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The IPAB repeal language is on page 351 of the “Advancing Chronic Care, Extenders, and Social Services (ACCESS) Act," which is linked above. We anticipate this legislation will be attached to the continuing resolution to extend funding for the federal government and considered in the House and Senate before the current continuing resolution expires tomorrow, February 8 at Midnight.
Thanks to everyone for your hard work.
May 30, 2017 - Legislative Alert
Mandatory Use of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Get more informationGov. Henry McMaster Announces Resignation Of S.C. Department Of Health And Human Services Director
March 30, 2017
For immediate release
Contact: Brian Symmes, 803-673-9437
BSymmes@governor.sc.gov
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Governor Henry McMaster today announced Christian L. Soura's resignation as Director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, effective April 7, 2017.
"Christian has been a tremendous asset to the Department of Health and Human Services and to South Carolina as a whole," said Gov. McMaster. "His strong leadership and commitment to the agency's mission has improved the lives of South Carolinians, and we look forward to working with stakeholders from around the State to find someone who will continue that legacy to lead what is one of our most complex and important agencies." Read the Press Release
Mandatory Use of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Get more informationGov. Henry McMaster Announces Resignation Of S.C. Department Of Health And Human Services Director
March 30, 2017
For immediate release
Contact: Brian Symmes, 803-673-9437
BSymmes@governor.sc.gov
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Governor Henry McMaster today announced Christian L. Soura's resignation as Director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, effective April 7, 2017.
"Christian has been a tremendous asset to the Department of Health and Human Services and to South Carolina as a whole," said Gov. McMaster. "His strong leadership and commitment to the agency's mission has improved the lives of South Carolinians, and we look forward to working with stakeholders from around the State to find someone who will continue that legacy to lead what is one of our most complex and important agencies." Read the Press Release
New DEA registration renewal policy
New DEA registration renewal policy creates new headaches for doctors
Effective Jan. 1, 2017, the DEA will eliminate the informal grace period for physicians to renew their registration - and doctors who miss their renewal deadline face daunting consequences:
Click here to read more about this policy change and the AMA's opposition.
Effective Jan. 1, 2017, the DEA will eliminate the informal grace period for physicians to renew their registration - and doctors who miss their renewal deadline face daunting consequences:
- Online registration after the expiration date will no longer be available.
- Paper renewal applications will not be accepted the day after the expiration date.
- Physicians who miss their expiration date will have to complete new registration applications.
Click here to read more about this policy change and the AMA's opposition.
