The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reports that the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board created, at WHA’s request, a new policy and practice that will improve the time required for Minnesota unrestricted licensed physicians to receive a Wisconsin license. WHA expects this new process to enhance Minnesota-physician recruitment as well as to improve access to both primary and specialist physicians for Wisconsin residents.
The new policy and practice includes the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing’s (DRL) new, faster process for Minnesota physicians to apply for and receive a Wisconsin license. New forms can be found on the DRL website, or by clicking here. Instructions for the application can be found here and will be helpful in recruiting and credentialing staff.
The WHA notes that even though the forms are currently available, it may be wise to submit the application next month. If a physician applies and becomes licensed before 9/1/2009, the physician will have to renew that license by 10/31. A license granted on or after 9/1 will be good until 10/31/2011.
CMS announced yesterday that the Round One Rebid of the Medicare Competitive Bidding Program for certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics and supplies (DMEPOS) will start in late October. CMS also announced the launch of a competitive bidding education and outreach effort that will include conferences on program information, registration and bidding. The Round One Rebid will occur in the following metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs):
• Cincinnati – Middletown (Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana);
• Cleveland – Elyria – Mentor (Ohio);
• Charlotte – Gastonia – Concord (North Carolina and South Carolina);
• Dallas – Fort Worth – Arlington (Texas);
• Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas);
• Miami – Fort Lauderdale – Miami Beach (Florida);
• Orlando (Florida);
• Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania);
• Riverside – San Bernardino – Ontario (California).
Round Two of the Competitive Bidding Program will begin in 70 additional MSAs sometime in 2011. All DMEPOS suppliers, however, must obtain accreditation by September 30, 2009 and certain suppliers must acquire and submit a surety bond by October 2, 2009.
You can view CMS’s press release here or access CMS’s web site with additional information, materials and a conference schedule here.
The Second Edition of the Wisconsin Wages & Hours Handbook has just been released. For more information or to place an order, visit the State Bar of Wisconsin’s web site.
In a press release today, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that authority for the administration and enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule has been delegated to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR’s administration and enforcement of the Security Rule had previously been delegated to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and, according to the press release, this change will eliminate duplication and increase efficiencies in how the department ensures that Americans’ health information privacy is protected.
OCR has been responsible for enforcement of the Privacy Rule since 2003. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act mandated improved enforcement of the Privacy Rule and the Security Rule.
Consumers may continue to submit HIPAA security complaints using the on-line resource: the Administrative Simplification Enforcement Tool (ASET), found at https://htct.hhs.gov/aset/. New security complaints may also be sent to the Office for Civil Rights.
CMS will continue to have authority for administration and enforcement of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification regulations, other than privacy and security of health information.
