HHS Advances Development of Tests to Distinguish Bacterial from Viral Infections across Multiple Healthcare Settings

15. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
A novel diagnostics technology that reads gene expression patterns in the immune system to distinguish bacterial infections from viral infections and determines the severity within minutes will receive advanced development support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The technology is being designed for use in outpatient and inpatient healthcare settings. The ...

OCR Imposes a $1.6 Million Civil Money Penalty against Texas Health and Human Services Commission for HIPAA Violations

08. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has imposed a $1,600,000 civil money penalty against the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (TX HHSC), for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules between 2013 and 2017. TX ...

United States Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Gilead Related to Truvada® and Descovy® for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis of HIV

07. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the United States, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, filed a complaint in federal district court against Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Gilead Sciences Ireland UC (collectively, Gilead) seeking damages for Gilead’s infringement of HHS patents related to pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) for HIV prevention. Despite multiple attempts by HHS to license ...

HHS Secretary Azar Statement on Step Forward in President Trump’s Kidney Health Initiative

05. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
This week, the Department of Health and Human Services, the American Society of Nephrology, and the National Kidney Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding to create an education, awareness, and prevention campaign regarding kidney disease, as called for in President Trump’s Executive Order on Advancing American Kidney Health. The campaign will aim to improve health ...

HHS Secretary Azar Statement on Steps to Fulfill President Trump’s Medicare Executive Order

02. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, as part of delivering on President Trump’s Executive Order on Protecting and Improving Medicare for Our Nation’s Seniors, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized policy changes under the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System. HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement: “The payment changes CMS ...

Secretary Azar Statement on FDA Leadership

02. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services is announcing that Dr. Ned Sharpless, who has been serving as Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, will be returning to his role as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The Federal Vacancies Reform Act requires that a person may not serve in an “Acting” capacity ...

HHS Issues Proposed Rule to Align Grants Regulation with New Legislation, Nondiscrimination Laws, and Supreme Court Decisions

02. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Notice of Nonenforcement to inform the public that certain regulatory provisions in The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for HHS Awards”HHS grants regulation”) will not be enforced because of serious concerns regarding the prior administration’s implementation of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, ...

Secretary Azar Statement on CMS Steps to Advance American Kidney Health

01. November 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
On Thursday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized changes to the Medicare payment rules for Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) program, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS), and the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP), delivering on President Trump’s “Advancing American Kidney Health” initiative. HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued ...

HHS Secretary Azar, SAMHSA Assistant Secretary McCance-Katz Statements on Launch of FindTreatment.Gov

31. October 2019 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the launch of FindTreatment.gov, a newly designed website that will help connect Americans looking for substance abuse treatment with approximately 13,000 locations across the United States. HHS Secretary Alex Azar and SAMHSA Assistant Secretary Elinore McCance-Katz issued the ...