June 13, 2018

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Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 2 (often referred to 42 CFR Part 2, or simply as "Part 2") regulates the sharing of substance use disorder (SUD) records. It limits the use and disclosure of such records unless a patient provides written consent. Protecting patients' confidentiality is of the utmost importance. But because of the complicated ripple effect on a patient’s health that must be carefully managed and coordinated, Part 2 poses a serious safety threat to patients with SUD, often leaving clinicians unaware of risks from multiple drug interactions and co-existing medical problems.

HR 5795, the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act, enables appropriate sharing of substance use disorder records by aligning Part 2 with HIPAA for purposes of treatment, payment, and operations. The bill also includes criminal, civil, and administrative protections for patients during legal proceedings and applies HIPAA penalties to the Part 2 program to ensure that patients can seek treatment without fear their information will be inappropriately shared.

HR 5795 will be considered on the House floor in the coming days, along with other opioid-related bills.

 

We need you to call your US Representative and ask him/her to to cosponsor HR 5795 and vote yes when it comes to the House floor for a vote. AHIMA’s Action Center has everything you need to take action.

CHIA’s Legislation and Advocacy Committee is urging all members to submit letters to the California Assembly Health Committee opposing SB 1238. This bill is scheduled to be heard by the Committee on June 26, 2018. All letters may be addressed to the Assembly Chair. CHIA has submitted a letter on CHIA’s behalf; however, individual letters are also encouraged. Submit your letter of opposition here.

This bill was introduced in the California State Legislature on February 15 by State Senator Richard Roth from Riverside regarding the maintenance, storage and destruction of patient records and has raised a number of concerns in the California health care community regarding the ability of providers to realistically comply with the bill’s provisions should it become law. 

A primary concern regarding the bill is the administrative burden placed on providers prior to the destruction of patient records. The bill requires certain health care providers to provide a statement to be signed by all new patients informing them, among other things, of the intended retention period of their records. If a provider plans to destroy any patient records the provider must subsequently notify patients at least 60 days in advance by first-class mail, electronic mail, or both of the proposed destruction. The bill requires that patients be given their “original medical record” if they request it prior to the proposed destruction date and also allows patients to designate the method of delivery of the records, “either by personal pickup, mail, overnight delivery, or other delivery means.”  

View the complete text of the bill here. 

The CHIA Board of Directors wants to thank all attendees, exhibitors, and presenters for joining CHIA at the 2018 Convention & Exhibit as we uncovered "HIM: The New Frontier; Build - Transform - Lead."

We hope to see you at #CHIACON19 in Indian Wells to celebrate "Empowering Patients, Breaking Boundaries, and Bridging Gaps."  

Watch the YouTube #CHIACON18 Slideshow and share what you enjoyed most, what "Ah-ha" learning moment you had, who you enjoyed seeing again, or who you met.

View all the photos on the Flickr #CHIACON18 Photo Album and share your favorite photo op, friendly face, or picture that made you smile.

2017 smashed the world's record for the most data breaches and exposed protected health information. CHIA is preparing a response by offering a one-day educational symposium in Fall 2018. This symposium is intended to prepare and equip hospital staff involved with health information management and EHR governance.   Submit a presentation proposal here . 

CMS Urges EHR Integration of PDMP Data to Reduce Provider Burden

Kate Monica for EHR Intelligence; Jun 12, 2018

State Medicaid programs should improve EHR integration of prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data to reduce provider burden and allow healthcare organizations to easily track patient information related to opioid use, stated CMS Acting Director Tim Hill in a June 11 letter to state Medicaid directors.

The letter provided guidance to states about which funding authorities are able to support health IT, EHR technology, and health data exchange for the purposes of reducing opioid misuse. This letter is one of several CMS resources recently issued to accelerate progress on addressing the opioid crisis.

According to CMS, states can receive enhanced federal funding to build a PDMP or enhance PDMP functionality per 42 CFR — a federal rule governing patient health data use for substance abuse disorder treatment under the EHR Incentive Programs.

Read Article . 

CMS Leverages Medicaid Program to Combat the Opioid Crisis

U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Jun 11, 2018

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS released guidance aimed at building on our commitment to partner with states to ensure that they have flexibilities and the tools necessary to combat the opioid crisis. This new guidance provides information to states on the tools available to them, describes the types of approaches they can use to combat this crisis, ensures states know what resources are available, and articulates promising practices for addressing the needs of beneficiaries facing opioid addiction. Notably, CMS released an Informational Bulletin that provides states with information they can use when designing approaches to covering critical treatment services for Medicaid eligible infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Additionally, CMS issued a letter to states on how they may best use federal funding to enhance Medicaid technology to combat drug addiction and the opioid crisis. 

“The number of American infants born dependent on opioids each day is heartbreaking,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “Today’s announcement reflects the Trump Administration and HHS’s commitment to helping states use Medicaid to support treatment for this condition and other challenges produced by our country’s crisis of opioid addiction. State-level innovation, including in the use of prescription drug monitoring programs and electronic health records, has been and will be a key piece of ending this crisis.” 

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