On February 8, 2024, both the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) along with the Office for Civil Rights announced a final rule in the Code of Federal Regulations changing the HIPAA confidentiality of medical and mental health records for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) records regulations.

This new law is now at 42 CFR part 2. With this final rule now firmly in place, the HHS is implementing the confidentiality provisions originating with section 3221 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was enacted March 27, 2020, and which require the Department to align certain aspects of Part 2 with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Rules and other applicable federal law in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH).

The Part 2 statute (42 U.S.C. 290dd-2) protects the following: “[r]ecords of the identity, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of any patient which are maintained in connection with the performance of any program or activity relating to substance use disorder education, prevention, training, treatment, rehabilitation, or research, which is conducted, regulated, or directly or indirectly assisted by any department or agency of the United States.”

These defined confidentiality protections now help address concerns that discrimination and fear of criminal prosecution deter people from entering treatment for SUD.

The updates, changes, and modifications in this final rule reflect the proposals published in the December 2, 2022, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and public comments received from many interested parties.

These included substance use disorder and other advocacy groups; trade and professional associations; behavioral and other health providers; health information technology vendors and health information exchanges; state, local, tribal and territorial governments; health plans; academic institutions, including academic health centers; and unaffiliated or anonymous individuals.

Following the usual and customary 60-day comment period, HHS analyzed and carefully considered all comments submitted from the public on the NPRM and made appropriate modifications before finalizing this updated law. This is an intermediate webinar.

Background

  • HIPAA medical records confidentiality and confidentiality of substance use disorder
  • Mental health records confidentiality

Why should you Attend?

This webinar examines the new Code of Federal Regulations governing HIPAA privacy for Substance Use Disorder records in mental health.

This new federal law is only a few months old, but has had a huge impact on the rights of patients and persons availing themselves of mental health treatment for substance use disorder.

Erase the uncertainty and doubt about what the new law does – and doesn’t – do to protect patient confidentiality.

Areas Covered

  • Basics of HIPAA privacy and security;
  • What makes mental health and substance use disorder records different from other medical records;
  • A review of the federal administrative regulations process – all about notice and comment rulemaking;
  • Examination of updates to this new federal law;
  • Patient consent and other uses and disclosures;
  • Penalties and breach notifications;
  • Patient notice and safe harbor provisions;
  • Best practices for obtaining this protected information, and;
  • Basic tips and techniques to defend yourself from liability.

Who will Benefit?

  • HIPAA privacy officers
  • Medical records workers
  • Health care attorneys

Venue: Recorded Webinar

Enrollment option

Speaker

Mark R. Brengelman
Mark holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Philosophy from Emory University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky. Retiring as an Assistant Attorney General, he now represents: health care professionals; two government health care licensure boards; a government ethics commission, and; parents and kids in confidential child abuse and neglect cases, termination of…

Related Events

Governing Board, Agreements and Contracted Services, QAPI, Discharge Planning
Compliance Webinars
Live Webinar

Governing Board, Agreements and Contracted Services, QAPI, Discharge Planning

Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) must comply with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Conditions of Participation located in Appendix W in the manual. This eight-part webinar series will cover the CAH CoP manual. There were changes and new regulations for CAHs in 2020, including a change to all the tag numbers, some which do not include Interpretive Guidelines or Survey Procedures. Changes include infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship, QAPI and Swing Bed changes. This seminar will help CAHs comply with specific CoP problem areas, such as nursing care plans, necessary policies and procedures, medication administration and drug storage, and informed consent to name a few.   Part Four of Eight: Governing Board, Agreements and Contracted Services, QAPI, Discharge Planning Objectives Describe that CMS requires the Board enter into a written agreement for telemedicine services Describe requirements for contract management for a CAH Describe the essential elements of a QAPI program and Board responsibilities Recall the requirement for when a discharge evaluation must be completed Organizational Structure and Governing Body/Individual Governing body/Individual’s responsibilities Appointment to medical staff Telemedicine services and requirements Required disclosures Agreements and Contracted Services Agreement with providers or suppliers Lab and diagnostic services Food services Quality Assurance Performance Improvement - QAPI Changes to the QAPI program Requirements of a QAPI program QAPI standards Data collection and analysis Reference: Standards and guidelines for Acute hospitals Discharge Planning Need for effective discharge planning process Discharge evaluation and plan Review of discharge planning process Requirement to assist in PAC selection Appendix and Resources

Emergency Services, Staffing and Responsibilities, Provision of Services, Emergency Procedures and EMTALA
Compliance Webinars
Live Webinar

Emergency Services, Staffing and Responsibilities, Provision of Services, Emergency Procedures and EMTALA

Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) must comply with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Conditions of Participation located in Appendix W in the manual. This eight-part webinar series will cover the CAH CoP manual. There were changes and new regulations for CAHs in 2020, including a change to all the tag numbers, some which do not include Interpretive Guidelines or Survey Procedures. Changes include infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship, QAPI and Swing Bed changes. This seminar will help CAHs comply with specific CoP problem areas, such as nursing care plans, necessary policies and procedures, medication administration and drug storage, and informed consent to name a few.   Part Two of Eight: Emergency Services, Staffing and Responsibilities, Provision of Services, Emergency Procedures and EMTALA Objectives Describe staffing requirements and supervision Recall the required14 emergency department written policies that must be present Describe that CMS has a list of emergency drugs and equipment every CAH must have Recall that a CAH must comply with EMTALA requirements Emergency Services 14 Emergency department policies ED staffing Equipment, Supplies, and Medication Blood and Blood Products Staffing/Personnel Coordination with Emergency Response Systems Staffing and Responsibilities Staffing and responsibilities Physician supervision Transfer of patient Patient admissions Provision of Services Patient care policies Scope of services Emergency medical services Medical management Diagnostic and therapeutic services Supplies Outpatient services Outpatient director Inpatient services Census and Ensuring compliance EMTALA Physician lists Central log Medical Screening examination Admit or transfer Appendix and Resources

Prepare for 2025 ICD-10-CM Code Updates
Compliance Webinars
Live Webinar

Prepare for 2025 ICD-10-CM Code Updates

ICD-10-CM updates for 2025 will become effective on October 1, 2024. These updates will include several guideline changes as well as multiple updates & additions to the specific chapters. This webinar will discuss the new guidelines as well as specific code categories in which you need to be alert to changes that may impact your code selection. All chapters will be included to ensure your specialty is covered. It is important that you be proactive and prepared when submitting your claims with discharge dates of October 1. Missed update information may cause a processing & reimbursement delay. Webinar’s Goals Be aware of guideline changes Learn about chapter specific additions & updates Ensure you are prepared with new code information Align with your software vendors to implement any necessary changes Target Audience Revenue Cycle Managers & staff Billers Coders Clinical Documentation Staff Finance Managers Denial Management Staff Physicians Mid Level Providers Claims Follow Up Staff

Excel - Automate Repetitive Tasks with Macros
Compliance Webinars
Live Webinar

Excel - Automate Repetitive Tasks with Macros

Imagine the thrill of automating those repetitive Excel tasks that have been draining your productivity. Picture the convenience of effortlessly streamlining complex processes, leaving you with more time to focus on what truly matters. Now, consider the positive impact you can have on your team and clients by offering streamlined, error-free solutions. Excel macros are powerful tools that can transform your Excel experience by automating repetitive tasks, freeing up your time for more important work. If you often find yourself performing the same actions or dealing with time-consuming Excel processes that beg for automation, it's time to dive into the world of macros. In this session, we will explore two methods for creating macros in Excel: The Macro Recorder and The Macro Editor, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of both. Objectives By the end of this session, you will have gained proficiency in creating and editing macros using Excel's Macro Recorder and the Macro Editing Tool. Why You Should Attend Mastering macro creation and editing is a crucial skill for advanced Excel users. This knowledge will not only save you valuable time but also benefit your colleagues and clients, as you'll be able to automate various Excel-based tasks and processes. If you've never created macros before, this webinar is for you. Topics covered Best practices for planning your macros Creating macros using the Macro Recorder Saving files as macro-enabled Excel workbooks Executing macros effortlessly Adding a macro-triggering button A comprehensive tour of the Macro Editor Making basic modifications to macros (VBA fundamentals) Leveraging the Personal Macro Workbook to share macros across all your files Who Should Attend? This webinar is designed to kickstart your journey into the world of macros. It's suitable for intermediate-to-advanced Excel users across all industries and job roles. Although we will be using the latest version of Excel for Windows, the majority of the functionalities discussed are applicable to earlier versions of the application as well.