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 Overview
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
requires all health plans, including
ERISA, health care clearinghouses
and any dentist who transmits health information in an electronic
transaction, to use a standard format. Those plans and providers
that choose not to use the electronic standards can use a clearinghouse
to comply with the requirement. Providers' paper transactions are
not subject to this requirement.
In an effort to educate our members on the implications of HIPAA the ADA will post content on this page to assist its members in actively participating in HIPAA educational opportunities.
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Featured
Content
HIPAA Security Rule FAQ NEW!
What is this “Security Rule”? Isn’t it the same thing as Privacy? Do I have to comply with it/does my office need the HIPAA Security Kit? Find out answers to these questions and more in this downloadable document.
Tips for Using the ADA Security Kit NEW!
HIPAA Privacy and HIPAA Security address two distinct parts of HIPAA, which impose separate regulatory requirements. Your approach to HIPAA Security, including how you staff compliance efforts, may vary greatly from how you handled HIPAA Privacy.
The task of security implementation can seem overwhelming at first,
especially when reading the kit for
the first time. Although the ADA strongly recommends that the practice
owner read the whole Kit, or otherwise have a basic understanding
of HIPAA Security, it is best to avoid reading the whole Kit from
cover to cover at one time. Instead, read the Introduction, all
of Chapter 1, and pages 19–35 of Chapter 2. These passages
contain the keys to the rest of the text. To help with understanding
some of the jargon, use the glossary on pages 163–167; remove these
pages from the binder, clip or staple them together, and keep them
handy while reading the text.
To order the HIPAA Security Kit, go to www.adacatalog.org.
Purchase the HIPAA Seminars on DVD or VHS!
The ADA HIPAA Privacy for Dental Professionals Seminar is now
available for purchase from the ADA Catalog.
Available on DVD or VHS, this seminar breaks down the HIPAA privacy
requirements into manageable tasks that ease compliance. Go to
View Catalog, Practice Management and select HIPAA Products. The
ADA HIPAA Privacy Kit Manual and CD-ROM is also still available
if you don't have yours yet.
Questions About HIPAA Privacy
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has posted a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) with answers about HIPAA privacy. These FAQs are intended to debunk many of the myths circulating about compliance requirements, and may be of some help to dentists who wish to avoid HIPAA overkill.
In addition, covered dentists may want to review the Fact Sheets and Guidance on Specific Aspects of the Privacy Rule at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/privacy.html  .
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HIPAA
Privacy Guidance for Dentists
The American Dental Association has prepared a summary of HIPAA privacy rule clarifications. Please read the memo from Dr. James B. Bramson
that addresses many of your concerns with the final regulation.
Specifically, the guidance confirms that soundproofing of dental
offices is not required, the privacy official may also be the office
manager, the training requirement can be met by providing each
new employee with a copy of its privacy policy and documenting
that the policies have been reviewed, appointment reminder postcards
are not a violation, patients can be greeted by name in the waiting
room and free toothbrushes are not marketing. As the ADA and other
health care providers requested, appropriate changes to the Privacy
Rule will be issued later this year. The ADA will comment on those
changes as it has with previous proposed rules concerning privacy
of protected health information. Updated information will continue
to be posted at http://www.ada.org/goto/hipaa.
- ADA Comments on Proposed Privacy Modifications | PDF file/39k
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ADA News
- Association testifies on HIPAA transaction standards (Aug. 23, 2007)
- Privacy rule under radar (May 9, 2007)
- HHS finalizes HIPAA enforcement approach (March 6, 2006)
- Stay on top of HIPAA security (Nov. 10, 2005)
- FAQs: ADA HIPAA helper (Aug. 9, 2005)
- National Provider Identifier application process begins May 23 (May 17, 2005)
- HHS offers unified HIPAA enforcement approach (May 3, 2005)
- Electronic claims filing made easy (Jan. 26, 2005)
- ADA HIPAA Security Kit answers your compliance questions (Aug. 2, 2004)
- ADA to release HIPAA Security Kit this summer (May 25, 2004)
- HIPAA privacy rule still focus of marketing tactics (May 7, 2004)
- Everything about the HIPAA rule coming in new ADA kit (March 8, 2004)
- Feds set sights on national identifier system for health care providers (Feb. 16, 2004)
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The Journal of the American Dental Association
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Additional
Resources
ADA Legal Adviser
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Members Only Content
Articles, Download
and Presentations:
Web Sites with HIPAA Information
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