Healthcare Compliance

Last week, drug testing expert Nina M. French from the Current Consulting Group presented the important changes affecting healthcare employers’ drug testing programs during PreCheck’s webinar. In case you missed the live presentation, a recorded version is now available from our Resources Library.

Last week, the 22nd Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) Compliance Institute was held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over 3,000 healthcare compliance professionals gathered at the single most comprehensive healthcare compliance conference. Besides learning about the latest developments and priorities from regulators, the Compliance Institute offers networking opportunities and educational tracks to help attendees strengthen their organization’s compliance program.

Background check compliance continues to be a hot topic moving through 2018. From increased class-action lawsuits to data breaches affecting millions, it’s critical that employers exercise their proper due diligence to safeguard their organization and the reputation they must uphold.

Hospitals can be drawn into lawsuits involving physician negligence with “negligent credentialing” claims and the results can be costly for any healthcare organization. Attorney fees and the costs of settling a negligent credentialing case can exceed $100 million, as in the 2012 case of Jane Doe v. Bradley, for example.

It’s not just the financial industry that faces risks from cybercriminals; healthcare organizations, with their massive databases full of personal information, have become common targets as well. Compliance specialists and leaders will have their work cut out for them in the coming year.

Earlier this summer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a revised version of the Form I-9 on July 17, 2017. As of September 18, 2017, employers are now required to use the updated form with a revision date of 07/17/17 N. While the changes were relatively minor compared to the one released in November 2016, here’s an overview of what you need to know to ensure I-9 compliance for your organization.

The Form I-9 process can have serious consequences for employers if it is not managed properly. In fact, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) almost doubled in size the fine amounts for I-9 violations in August 2016. In the latest PreCheck white paper, “The Form I-9 and E-Verify: Keys to Compliance,” immigration attorney Nicole A.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Work Plan is one of the most valuable resources available for healthcare compliance professionals. The OIG’s work planning process is dynamic and adjustments are made throughout the year to meet priorities and to anticipate and respond to emerging issues with the resources available. Previously, the OIG updated its public-facing Work Plan once or twice a year, but their update cadence has changed as of last month.

Change is the name of the game in healthcare, and risk managers are often on the cutting edge of it. As the way healthcare is provided and paid for evolves, risk managers must juggle a wide variety of issues — financial, operational and strategic — to serve their organizations in the best way possible.

Auditing from regulatory agencies and payers is increasing, driving the compliance program priorities across the healthcare industry. The latest research from SAI Global indicates healthcare compliance departments are shifting their focus in response to the ever-changing nature of the industry.