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Tag: Change Healthcare


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Senator on cyberattack: ‘It was only a matter of time’ 

March 25, 2024HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., a member of the Senate Finance Committee and-chairman of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, has introduced legislation that would allow for advance and accelerated payments to health care providers in the event of a cyber incident, as long as they and their vendors meet minimum cybersecurity standards.  “I’ve been sounding the alarm about cybersecurity in the health care sector for some time,” Warner said. “It was only...

advance payments, Change Healthcare, Cybersecurity


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Tom Ryan

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HME industry under strain

March 22, 2024Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor

WASHINGTON – Industry stakeholders have been reaching out to policymakers to highlight the “disastrous” impacts of the recent Change Healthcare cyberattack, which piled cash flow concerns on top of low reimbursement issues.  “This is a low margin industry and some of these smaller to mid-sized companies don’t have the balance sheet (to sustain themselves for very long) and they have tough choices to make,” said Tom Ryan, president & CEO of AAHomecare. “They’ve...

AAHomecare, Change Healthcare, Cyberattack, Home Medical Equipment (HME), VGM


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Cyberattack: Highmark launches assistance program

March 21, 2024HME News Staff

PITTSBURGH – Health insurer Highmark has launched an assistance program to provide funding advances for eligible participating providers who use Change Healthcare or one of its impacted companies and are experiencing cash flow concerns due to an inability to submit claims.   Eligibility for assistance and amount of assistance will be determined based on a variety of factors, including inability to use an alternate method to submit claims and current financial need.  “We...

Change Healthcare, Cyberattack, Highmark


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In brief: Industry’s reimbursement uncertainty, MedPAC’s MA takedown, CMS’s Change flexibilities 

March 20, 2024HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – Industry stakeholders are on the hunt for another vehicle for their legislation to extend the 75/25 blended Medicare reimbursement rate in non-rural areas through 2024.  AAHomecare reports that its lobbyists and HME advocates on the Hill have indicated that reimbursement relief will not be included in a second segment of appropriations language that must pass Congress by March 22 to prevent another government shutdown.  “We will continue to look for other...

Change Healthcare, Cyberattack, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), reimbursement relief


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CMS announces flexibilities for Medicaid 

March 18, 2024HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – CMS has announced additional flexibilities to help state Medicaid programs provide needed relief to providers and protect access to health coverage after the cyberattack at Change Healthcare.  CMS is encouraging states to submit Medicaid state plan amendments (SPAs) for authority to make certain interim payments for services providers have rendered but for which the provider cannot submit claims. The agency has now released guidance on related flexibilities, including the...

Change Healthcare, Cyberattack, flexibilities, Medicaid


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newspoll

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Cyberattack: ‘This just might be the final straw’

March 15, 2024Liz Beaulieu, Editor

YARMOUTH, Maine – The cyberattack on Change Healthcare has “crippled operations” for HME providers, according to the results of a recent HME Newspoll.   More than 95% of respondents to the poll reported that their cash flow has been impacted by a Feb. 21 cyberattack, which caused Change Healthcare to take its systems offline, affecting their ability to process claims.  “This has not just affected our company, but nearly crippled operations,” wrote...

Change Healthcare, Cyberattack, Home Medical Equipment (HME)


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In brief: OCR investigation, NHIA recommendations, SuperCare pilot

March 15, 2024HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – The Office of Civil Rights, which administers and enforces HIPAA private, security and breach notification rules, has announced that it will investigate the cyberattack on Change Healthcare to determine whether patient health information was compromised.  The agency will also investigate whether Change Healthcare and UnitedHealth Group were compliant with HIPAA rules.  “We are committed to ensuring access to care, while enforcing laws that bolster patient...

Ascensia Diabetes Care, Change Healthcare, Cyberattack, National Home Infusion Association (NHIA), SuperCare Health


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OCR investigates Change Healthcare cyberattack

March 14, 2024HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – The Office of Civil Rights, which administers and enforces HIPAA private, security and breach notification rules, has announced that it will investigate the cyberattack on Change Healthcare to determine whether patient health information was compromised.  The agency will also investigate whether Change Healthcare and UnitedHealth Group were compliant with HIPAA rules.  “We are committed to ensuring access to care, while enforcing laws that bolster patient...

Change Healthcare, Cyberattack


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In brief: CMS makes advance payments, state AG sues Apria, OIG warns of cath scams 

March 13, 2024HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – CMS on March 9 made available Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption (CHOPD) accelerated payments to Part A providers and advance payments to Part B suppliers experiencing claims disruptions.  The payments may be granted in amounts representative of up to 30 of claims payments to eligible providers and suppliers. The average 30-day payment is based on the total claims paid to the provider/supplier between Aug. 1, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2023, divided by three. These payments...

advance payments, Apria, Catheter, Change Healthcare, Cyberattack, Data Breach, Fraud


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Change Healthcare cyberattack: CMS makes advance payments available 

March 11, 2024HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – CMS on March 9 made available Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption (CHOPD) accelerated payments to Part A providers and advance payments to Part B suppliers experiencing claims disruptions.  The payments may be granted in amounts representative of up to 30 of claims payments to eligible providers and suppliers. The average 30-day payment is based on the total claims paid to the provider/supplier between Aug. 1, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2023, divided by three. These payments...

Change Healthcare, Cyberattack


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