SDOs & Operating Rules Updates

HHS Releases Proposed Rule on Technology Adoption.  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register entitled “HHS Acquisition Regulation: Acquisition of Information Technology; Standards for Health Information Technology.” The regulation proposes to amend and update the Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) to implement requirements to…

CMS Releases Data on No Surprises Act Complaints. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new report that details the total complaints related to the No Surprises Act and Affordable Care Act compliance. CMS notes that, as of June 2024, it had received more than 16,000 complaints, with providers and consumers receiving…

WEDI Makes Recommendations to HHS on Key No Surprises Act Issue. WEDI sent a letter to Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on the issue of including diagnosis codes on Good Faith Estimations (GFEs) for insured individuals. GFEs are required under the No Surprises Act. WEDI’s recommendations included urging…

OCR Takes Enforcement Action Against Puerto Rican Hospital. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a notice of violation to a psychiatric hospital located in Puerto Rico for failure to comply with federal civil rights laws on disability. Following an investigation, OCR found that the hospital violated disability civil rights laws when it failed…

WEDI Presents Results of Recent Transactions Survey to NCVHS. WEDI was asked by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to present the findings from our recent industry survey on the 008020 version of the X12 835 Electronic Remittance Advice and X12 837 Electronic Claim (Dental, Institutional, and Professional) to the National Committee on…

OCR Settles Ransomware Cybersecurity Investigation for $250,000. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a settlement with a privately-owned health care provider in the state of Washington, concerning potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule, following a ransomware attack…

WEDI Federal Update (10/7/24) WEDI Submits Comments to ASTP/ONC on HTI-2 Proposed Rule. WEDI submitted comments on the proposed rule titled “Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability” (HTI-2) released by the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC), Department of…