The MedSafe Compliance Corner

• AMA Supports Mammography Screening for Women Beginning at Age 40
• Task Force Recommends Against Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements
• OIG to Change Self-Disclosure Protocol
• Congress Asks HHS to Rethink Ban on Gay Male Blood Donation
• New Rules Aimed at Reducing Youth Football Head Injuries
• Medicaid Fraud Audits Cost More than Amounts Recovered

AMA Supports Mammography Screening for Women Beginning at Age 40

• Enforcement of Version 5010 Postponed by CMS
• Final Rule Expands Medicaid Eligibility
• BCBS to Pay $1.5 Million for Breach of Medical Records
• FTC Challenges Hospital Mergers
• Transition Program to Prevent Hospital Readmission Announced by CMS
• FDA Approves Boniva Generic

 Enforcement of Version 5010 Postponed by CMS

This week, In The Know, looks at the following news stories: Government Incentivizes Patients to Prevent Medicaid Fraud; OSHA’s Whistleblower Program Strengthened; CMS Partners with Text4Baby to Promote Enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP; Hospital to Pay $167 Million in Harassment Suit; Health Reform Law Ends Lifetime Insurance Limits for 105 Million Americans.

This week, In The Know, looks at the following news stories: Extension Granted to Religious Hospitals on Birth Control Rule; Shorter Length of Hospice Care Causes Concern; AHA Concerned Medicare Cuts Will Impact Hospital Jobs; AHA Concerned Medicare Cuts Will Impact Hospital Jobs; Healthy New Year Video Challenge Announced.

This week, In The Know, looks at the following news stories: Rule Issued on Electronic Payments from Insurers; 86% of Patient Harm Events Unreported by Hospital Staff; Excedrin, Bufferin, and Other Novartis Products Recalled; Cancer Death Rates Decline; Final Round of Health Plan Waivers Issued; Health Care Employment Up; List of 26 Medicaid Quality Measures Published.

Since 2009 in the state of New York, healthcare providers who order, provide, receive, bill or claim at least $500,000 annually to the state Medicaid program must have fraud, waste and abuse compliance programs in place. This requirement also applies to Medicaid providers operating under Articles 28 (hospitals) or 36 (Home Care Services) of the Public Health Law, and Articles 16 or 31 of the Mental Hygiene Law. In light of the current push to rein in costs associated with the many ways fraud and abuse can occur such as double billing, or billing for services not rendered / supplies not provided, etc., is New York state setting a trend for the rest of the country by mandating compliance programs?

This week, In The Know, looks at the following news stories: Presidential Order Issued to Address Drug Shortages; Medicare Part B Premiums for 2012 Lower Than Projected; Final Rule Issued for Payment Rates to Hospital Outpatient Departments and Ambulatory Surgical Centers; Final Medicare Rule Drastically Cuts Physicians’ Pay; New Survey Standards to Eliminate Disparities in Race and Ethnicity.

This week, In The Know, looks at the following news stories: OSHA Publishes New Educational Materials Regarding Laboratory Hazards; HHS Issues New Rule to Ease Hospital System Management; Six States Launched the Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Program This Month; OSHA Provides Information on Preventing Seasonal Flu in the Workplace; CMS Launches an Innovation Advisors Program.

A final Rule has been issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to assist in guiding State start-up, operation and maintenance costs of Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractors (Medicaid RACs) and the payment methodology for State payments to Medicaid RACs. It directs States to assure that adequate appeal processes are in place for providers to dispute adverse determinations made by Medicaid RACs. The rule also directs States to coordinate with other contractors and entities auditing Medicaid providers, and State and Federal law enforcement agencies. The final rule is effective Jan. 1, 2012.

This week, In The Know looks at the following news stories: Patient Safety Violations May Result in Loss of Federal Funds; Medicare and Medicaid May Face Cuts from the “Supercommittee”; Prosecution of Health Care Fraud Continues to Rise; Double-Digit Price Hikes in Health Care Insurance Must Be Justified; HHS Sponsors Contest to Develop Emergency Response App on Facebook.