Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) news from FierceHealthcare
News
Grassley: CMS ignored repeated Medicare fraud warnings
Senator Chuck Grassley is a bit upset with CMS, and he's managed to make sure the press knows it, too. His office has released data suggesting that CMS received at least 30 warnings from inspectors... Read more...
SPOTLIGHT: HHS tightens up HIPAA enforcement
Buckle your seat belts: HHS has issued an interim final rule, with request for comments, on rules that will tighten up HIPAA enforcement. Thanks to the enactment of the HITECH Act, HHS has more... Read more...
Hospitals will have more leeway thanks to H1N1 emergency declaration
HHS now will be able to give hospitals more leeway in how they handle any incoming surges incoming patients thanks to President Obama's declaration last week that the H1N1 swine flu is a national... Read more...
SPOTLIGHT: OIG may tighten Medicare, Medicaid auditing programs
Providers are just beginning to get adjusted to the idea that they're facing far more auditing scrutiny, most notably from the RACs. Now, it's possible things will get a bit tougher yet, with the HHS... Read more...
Senate Finance bill includes new HIPAA rules
While most people were focusing on the Finance reform bill's government expansion and the price tag of a public option, few may have noticed a small section of the 223-page measure that addresses... Read more...
GOP protests rules barring health plans from lobbying seniors
Recently, Humana found itself in the middle of a major controversy after sending out a letter to Medicare Advantage members that attacked current health reform plans. Not only did CMS launch an... Read more...
OIG: At least five states aren't pandemic-ready
The HHS Office of the Inspector General has just released a report concluding that at least five states aren't ready for a pandemic such as the H1N1 virus, despite six years of funding and planning... Read more...
Kathleen Sebelius - 9 People to Watch in Healthcare
Name: Kathleen Sebelius Location: Topeka, Kansas Profession: Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services; former governor of Kansas Fast facts: Before being confirmed by the Senate as... Read more...
Karen Ignagni - 9 People to Watch in Healthcare
Name: Karen Ignagni Location: Washington, DC Profession: President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Fast facts: Once dubbed as one of the top three "Top Guns" of all trade... Read more...
HHS Inspector General criticizes Medicaid claims in three states
After an in-depth audit, the HHS Office of the Inspector General has come down hard on Medicaid officials in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Texas, suggesting that each had filed claims for more... Read more...
