Department of Health and Human Services

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued final rule stating the future health insurance exchange (“Exchange”) and insurance issuer standards related to coverage of essential health benefits (EHB) and actuarial value. The final rule further establishes a timeline for when qualified health plans (QHPs) should be accredited in federally facilitated Exchanges.

Beginning January 1, 2014, non-grandfathered

Continue Reading Essential Health Coverage Benefits – The ACA Final Rule

The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) recently released its HIPAA audit protocol.  Audits of HIPAA compliance were mandated by the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH”) Act, which amended many parts of HIPAA and included breach notification requirements.

The OCR conducted a number of pilot audits of compliance with
Continue Reading Feds Release HIPAA Audit Protocol