CMS Issues Proposed Rule for Skilled Nursing Prospective Payment System Update

The proposed rule was issued pursuant to an Executive Order signed on January 31, 2025, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation.”  The Order states:  “The Administration’s policy to significantly reduce the private expenditures required to comply with Federal regulations to secure America’s economic prosperity and national security and the highest possible quality of life for each citizen. […] The post CMS Issues Proposed Rule for Skilled Nursing Prospective Payment System Update appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 15 April 2025 | 1:32 pm

New HIPAA Security Rules Effective March 7, 2025

   Be aware that the date for compliance is coming up fast. Overview of the New Rules Enhanced Encryption Standards To ensure the highest level of data protection, the new HIPAA rules mandate the use of advanced encryption methods for both data at rest and data in transit. This includes: Encryption of all electronic protected […] The post New HIPAA Security Rules Effective March 7, 2025 appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 13 February 2025 | 3:07 pm

Texas HHSC and the New Emergenty Communication Tool–AlertMedia

Texas HHSC has posted a provider letter alerting long-term care providers of their responsibility to sign up and how to use it.   You can find the letter here.                 The post Texas HHSC and the New Emergenty Communication Tool–AlertMedia appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 4 February 2025 | 11:01 am

Employment Readiness Provider Letter

          HHSC has sent out a Provider Letter regarding the new employment readiness service for HCS, TxHmL, DBMD, and FMSA.  You can read it here.                                 The post Employment Readiness Provider Letter appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 15 January 2025 | 1:55 pm

Medical Judgment

When I go to the doctor, I want it to be one capable of independent judgment, not a robot of the government and its favored stakeholders.  Hurray for AAPS!   “The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons Educational Foundation (“AAPS”) filed on Monday an expansion to its federal lawsuit against the Biden Administration and board-certifying organizations […] The post Medical Judgment appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 29 October 2024 | 1:21 pm

Important Message from HHSC for Texas Long Term Care Providers

The post Important Message from HHSC for Texas Long Term Care Providers appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 28 October 2024 | 10:30 am

Uncle Sam Morphs into Big Brother

  “The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (“AAPS”) served a lawsuit on Oct 11, seeking to block the upcoming requirement that tens of millions Americans provide their personal information to federal agencies beginning Jan 1, 2025. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) imposes this new reporting requirement on more than 30 million entities such as small businesses, […] The post Uncle Sam Morphs into Big Brother appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 23 October 2024 | 10:37 am

How will the Loper Case Figure into this?

” A Texas doctor on Monday sued the Biden administration in an effort to block a new rule aimed at strengthening privacy protections for women seeking abortions and for patients who receive gender transition treatments. Carmen Purl, a family physician in Dumas, Texas, said in her lawsuit, opens new tab in Amarillo, Texas, federal court that the […] The post How will the Loper Case Figure into this? appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 22 October 2024 | 11:36 am

Hah! Try being a Nursing Home Who Does Something Like This.

“At Our Lady of the Lake, which did not provide comment for this article, inspectors determined the emergency room’s staff members violated the federal mandate seven times since 2017, when they refused a needed surgery to a Medicaid patient with a broken spine, left a suicidal teenager unattended in the lobby and failed to examine […] The post Hah! Try being a Nursing Home Who Does Something Like This. appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 24 September 2024 | 10:51 am

Texas HHSC LTCR MDS Webinars

Doing the MDS incorrectly can lead to bad resident outcomes and deficiency citations.   HHSC now has recorded MDS webinar trainings available that you can listen to at your leisure.  Here are the links, along with the PowerPoint slides:  September 12 recording September 12 PowerPoint slides August 27 recording August 27 PowerPoint slides The post Texas HHSC LTCR MDS Webinars appeared first on Garlo Ward, P.C..

Posted on: 18 September 2024 | 11:13 am