Blog


Stay informed on hot topics in security, compliance, AI governance, and all things healthcare. Plus learn more about emerging trends, thought leadership insights, and news you should know.

HIPAA Tips

Monthly Tips Roundup

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

We’ve curated our weekly tips shared on LinkedIn every Tuesday into this monthly blog for your convenience. Let’s make a pact: we won’t only think of cybersecurity awareness in…

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HIPAA Tips

Monthly Tips Roundup

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

We’ve curated our weekly tips shared on LinkedIn every Tuesday into this monthly blog for your convenience. September 1, 2026 Core NIST Guidance for Healthcare Govern & Manage…

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Security

Why Technology Roadmaps Matter More Than Ever

Marco Maggio, Chief Revenue Officer

Every piece of technology has an expiration date. The organizations that struggle aren't the ones with aging technology. They're the ones that never planned for it. Windows 10 was…

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HIPAA Tips

Monthly Tips Roundup

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

We’ve curated our weekly tips shared on LinkedIn every Tuesday into this monthly blog for your convenience. August 4, 2026 A breach is, generally, an impermissible use or…

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Security

AI Adoption Is Moving Faster Than Governance

Michael J. Ducsak, Chief Information Security Officer

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future initiative; it has become part of everyday business operations. Physicians and employees are using AI to summarize meetings, draft…

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Security

The Plain-English Guide to Security Tools

Zandy McAllister, vCISO

Ever Wonder Why One Tool Is Never Enough? Cybersecurity can quickly become overwhelming because the language around it is often technical and full of tools and acronyms. Even…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: What Are You Waiting For?

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

NOW is the time to finish the Disaster Recovery Plan. TODAY is the day to review policies and procedures that have been pushed to the side for the last two years. Before Q4 2026…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Common Sense

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

We talk all the time about the same things: long, complex passwords, updating/patching systems and applications containing ePHI, enabling two-factor/multi-factor authentication…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Statistics

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

How about this one to grab you: HIPAA statistics in 2026 highlight that over 935 million individuals have had their Protected Health Information (PHI) compromised since 2009—over…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Responses

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

We all know how much our coworkers love HIPAA requirements, annual training(s) and constant (I hope!) reminders from management and the compliance team. We are also well aware of…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HHS OCR HIPAA Enforcement

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

You need me – oh yes you do! Every OCR breach investigation in 2026 cited the failure to conduct an accurate and thorough HIPAA Security Risk Analysis (SRA). It’s not good enough…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Stay on Top of HIPAA Requirements

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

We’ve all heard about the HIPAA Security Rule Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) submitted in December 2024. Fast forward, we were expecting some of the proposals to come into…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Fight Back!

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

For those of you who know me, you’ve heard me say probably more than once, we are all patients somewhere. And as patients we want to be treated with importance and feel confident…

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Value-Based Care

2026 MIPS Automatic Hardships Announced

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that they have identified certain counties in Hawaii and certain municipalities in the Commonwealth of the…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Staff Training

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Staff training goes without saying, but what does this look like in your organization? Would this be an annual PowerPoint for HIPAA training that has been presented year after…

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Value-Based Care

2026 MIPS Value Pathway Registration Is Open

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

The registration window to report a MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) for the 2026 performance year opened on April 1 and will close on November 30, 2026, at 8 pm ET. If you are planning…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: User Access Audits

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Auditing active user accounts in all systems and applications containing ePHI for healthcare organizations is crucial in order to maintain data security and regulatory compliance…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: General Compliance Program Guidance

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

General Compliance Program Guidance, or GCPG is a program created from Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and Health and Human Services (HHS). The GCPG is a reference guide for…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: You Can Run But You Can’t Hide

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Ever hear industry experts say “It’s not IF you have a cyber/ransomware attack, it’s WHEN.” No truer words have been spoken. Why do we run in the opposite direction from…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: What Does Security Mean to You?

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Is it having locks on all doors, or is it an alarm system and security cameras? When you think of security for your home and your personal possessions, do you assess the…

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Value-Based Care

Updated SAFER Guide Requirement for 2026 MIPS

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized many changes to the MIPS Promoting Interoperability (PI) category for the 2026 performance year. One of these is…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Model Notices of Privacy Practices

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires health plans and covered health care providers to develop and distribute a notice that provides a clear, user friendly explanation of individuals’…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Cybersecurity Attacks

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Getting tired of opening emails or articles and reading about another cybersecurity attack on a healthcare organization? Afraid your business might be next? Then do something…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Checklist – Volume 1

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The following HIPAA Checklists (more to come!) are intended to serve as reminders and quick references. Additionally, these lists are HIPAA requirements and not to be ignored…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Disaster Recovery Plan Testing

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

How many times have you heard from your compliance expert or IT team that you must conduct Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) testing? And you think – are they nuts? On the contrary…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Embrace HIPAA Compliance

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Why are we fighting or pushing back on HIPAA compliance? Are we talking about the pain/pleasure principle originated by Sigmund Freud, that human behavior is primarily driven by…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA in 2026

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

As you may be aware, the Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the HIPAA Security Rule was issued in December 2024. Public comment period closed in March 2025, allowing anyone…

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Value-Based Care

Electronic Case Reporting in 2026

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) has been required under the MIPS Promoting Interoperability (PI) category since the beginning of performance year 2022. As we head into the fifth…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Zero Trust Architecture

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Remember when your mom said “don’t talk to strangers”? This goes way beyond that. Zero Trust Architecture is a security framework based on “never trust, always verify.” Not like…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Health Information Exchange

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Health Information Exchange or HIE is the secure electronic sharing of patient data between different healthcare providers and organizations (labs, hospitals, public health) to…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Cyber Insurance

Cyber insurance (or cyber liability insurance) protects businesses from financial losses due to cyberattacks, data breaches, and other security incidents by covering costs like…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Medical Device Security

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

There is so much focus on security measures as they relate to computers: workstations, laptops, iPads, tablets, and servers, either physically onsite or virtual/cloud based. But…

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Value-Based Care

ASC Quality Reporting: Are You on Track for 2026?

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

In this blog, we highlight important ASCQR dates and action items. You can use the key action checklists provided throughout the blog to stay on track during the 2026 performance…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: New Year’s Resolutions

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

When is the best time to get your HIPAA House in order? Now! Step One: Review active users in all systems and applications containing ePHI (including Windows/Active Directory), to…

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Value-Based Care

2026 MIPS Payment Adjustments Have Begun!

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

All claims billed with DOS starting 1/1/2026 will reflect your MIPS payment adjustment. Your Medicare Part B physician services payments in 2026 will be adjusted based on your…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Cybersecurity Organizations

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Whether you are looking to ramp up your knowledge of Cybersecurity with best practices for your organization’s networks, systems, computers and data safety, to becoming a…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Remote Access

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

What does remote access mean to you in your organization? For most businesses today remote access is a necessity. Whether it’s a physician who needs to review medical records…

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Value-Based Care

2025 MIPS Hardship Application Deadline Approaching

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

The deadline to file for a 2025 MIPS hardship is rapidly approaching. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires 2025 MIPS hardship applications to be submitted…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Look on the Bright Side

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Hard to believe that it’s almost 2026! And with that comes New Year resolutions and (hopefully) positive changes for your organization’s compliance posture. Some scenarios to…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HHS OCR 2025 Enforcement

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

HHS OCR enforcement in 2025 heavily focused on HIPAA Security Rule violations especially ransomware, ePHI protection, Risk Analysis, access rights (patient records, reproductive…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Likelihood x Impact = Risk

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

When we look at risk in a healthcare environment it is defined as the likelihood of a threat exploiting a vulnerability. Think of a combination of factors that could lead to…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Get Your House in Order!

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Enough with the “I’ll get to that soon,…” thought process when it comes to HIPAA requirements and compliance regulations. Now more than ever, with cyber and ransomware attacks…

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Value-Based Care

Quality Reporting for Your ASC: 2026 Final Changes

Sarrah Hakim, Director of Health Policy

On November 21, 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 1,657-page 2026 Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program Final Rule…

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Value-Based Care

Upcoming Deadline to Appeal Your 2024 MIPS Score

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The deadline to appeal 2024 MIPS scores and 2026 MIPS payment adjustments is rapidly approaching. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) refers to these appeals as…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Simple Steps to Strengthen Cybersecurity

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

TL;DR – Robust Security Practices: Use strong, unique passwords or passphrases with password managers Update all software immediately when patches are released Recognize red flags…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: The Cybersecurity Game

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Here’s an idea: what if we stopped getting scared and freaked out by Cybersecurity threats and attacks? Remember when you were young, playing a game with your family or friends…

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Value-Based Care

2026 MIPS Payment Adjustments Have Been Released!

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released 2026 MIPS payment adjustment information. These payment adjustments are tied to 2024 MIPS scores and will be…

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Value-Based Care

Update on the Government Shutdown: Medicare Claims Hold

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy and Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

On October 15, 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a statement on the continued hold of all fee schedule claims. You may have heard that CMS decided…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: NIST CSF 2.0 Resources

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

NIST CSF 2.0 resources provide healthcare organizations with comprehensive guidance for improving cybersecurity programs. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is…

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Value-Based Care

What You Need to Know about the Government Shutdown

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy and Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

On October 1, 2025, we entered a federal government shutdown, and all signs currently point to this shutdown being prolonged. During a shutdown, discretionary spending is halted…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Fight Back on Cyber Attacks

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Cyberattacks come in many forms, from ransomware and phishing attacks to the theft of sensitive data and personal information of employees. Healthcare organizations need to…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! As we approach Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025, Dawn Meglino highlights valuable free resources from leading cybersecurity…

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Value-Based Care

Anatomy IT Advocates for ASCQR Clients in 2026

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

Anatomy IT (AIT) asks Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider your experience with quality reporting in comments submitted on the 2026 ASC Quality Reporting…

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Value-Based Care

Anatomy IT Advocates for MIPS Clients in 2026

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

Anatomy IT (AIT) asks Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider your experience with quality reporting in comments submitted on the 2026 Quality Payment Program…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Stop HIPAA Violations From Happening

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! HIPAA violations continue to happen daily in healthcare organizations—often for the same preventable reasons. In this guide, Dawn Meglino…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Cybersecurity Awareness in Daily Habits

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! Cybersecurity isn’t just about IT policies or expensive systems—it’s about the daily choices each healthcare worker makes. In this guide…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Scalability

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! As healthcare organizations grow, their compliance programs must scale accordingly. In this guide, Dawn Meglino explains how to build…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Mobile Device Security

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! Mobile devices have become essential tools in healthcare, but they also represent significant security risks when not properly protected…

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Value-Based Care

New 2025 MIPS Automatic Hardships Announced!

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that they have identified certain counties in California and Texas as qualifying for an automatic 2025 MIPS…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: NIST Special Publication 800-39

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! While healthcare organizations aren’t required to follow NIST standards, they offer some of the best tools to counteract cyber threats…

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Value-Based Care

2023 Medicare Care Compare Preview Period Reopened

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reopened the 2023 Doctors and Clinicians Preview Period on July 23, 2025, for a 30-day window. It will close again on August 21…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Why Should I Care?

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! This article is designed to be shared with your entire staff—from front desk to clinical teams. Dawn Meglino explains why HIPAA…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Risk Management Plan

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! A risk management plan is a required component of HIPAA Security Rule compliance, yet many organizations struggle with where to start…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Definitions

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! Understanding HIPAA terminology is fundamental to compliance. Dawn Meglino provides clear definitions of the most important HIPAA terms…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Is Your Organization Truly Prepared?

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! How prepared is your organization really? Dawn Meglino challenges healthcare leaders to assess whether their staff, physicians, and…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: User Access Audits

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! User access audits are essential for maintaining HIPAA compliance and preventing data breaches. Dawn Meglino explains why regular reviews…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Summer is the Perfect Time to…

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! Summer offers healthcare organizations a strategic opportunity to tackle HIPAA compliance tasks that often get pushed aside during busier…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Denial

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Welcome to this week’s HIPAA Tip Tuesday! HIPAA denial takes many forms—from believing breaches won’t happen to you, to thinking your practice is too small to be targeted. Dawn…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Securing Passwords

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

We discuss all the time the importance of password security measures, i.e., password length, restricting the reuse of the last several passwords, passphrases versus passwords or…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Smarter

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

To become “HIPAA smarter” organizations need to understand HIPAA rules, implement appropriate safeguards, and continuously monitor and adapt to ensure compliance. This includes…

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Value-Based Care

MIPS Value Pathway Registration Is Open

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The registration window to report a MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) for the 2025 performance year opened on April 1 and will close on December 1, 2025, at 8 pm ET. If you are planning to…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Federal Information Security

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Founded in 1987, the Federal Information Systems Security Educators Association, or FISSEA, now shortened to Federal Information Security Educators, is an organization run by and…

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Value-Based Care

2025 MIPS Hardship Application Open

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened the 2025 MIPS hardship applications. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2025 at 8 pm ET. There are two…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Disaster Recovery Plan Testing

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Remember when you were a kid and your schools conducted fire drills? Imagine if the drills were not tested or the procedures on the steps to be taken were not planned out. Now…

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Value-Based Care

Learn about the MVP for Rheumatology in 2025

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced the Advancing Rheumatology Patient Care MVP in 2023, and it continues to be available for reporting in the 2025…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: 2025 Safer Guides for EHRs

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP) with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) released the 2025 SAFER Guides aiming to improve health systems’ adherence…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Recognized Security Practices

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Recognized Security Practices (RSPs) are defined as “the standards, guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes developed under section 272(c)(15) of…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Conducting Your Own Risk Analysis

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

I would be the first to recommend when your organization is preparing its annual budget, the cost for the annual HIPAA Security Risk Analysis (SRA) by a certified HIPAA compliance…

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Value-Based Care

MIPS Value Pathway Available for ENT in 2025

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced the Quality Care for the Treatment of Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders MVP in 2024, and it continues to be available…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Safe Harbor Method / Provision

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The HIPAA Safe Harbor method is a critical process for healthcare organizations that need to use or share patient data while maintaining privacy compliance. The HIPAA Safe Harbor…

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Value-Based Care

Surgical Care MIPS Value Pathway Available in 2025

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized new MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) that are relevant to specialties we serve. One of these is the Surgical Care MVP…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: What is Smishing?

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Smishing attacks are becoming one of the most dangerous threats to healthcare organizations and their employees. SMS phishing, or also known as smishing, is a type of cybercrime…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Compliant Texting to Patients

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

In February, 2024 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) came out with a Memorandum on Texting Patient Information and Orders. The memorandum was specific for hospitals and CAHs…

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Value-Based Care

ASC Quality Reporting: Are You on Track for 2025?

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

In this blog, we highlight important ASCQR dates and action items. You can use the key action checklists provided throughout the blog to stay on track during the 2025 performance…

Read more →
Value-Based Care

New 2024 MIPS Automatic Hardships Announced!

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that they have identified certain counties in South Carolina and Los Angeles County to add to the list of…

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Value-Based Care

Electronic Case Reporting in 2025

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) has been required under the MIPS Promoting Interoperability (PI) category since the beginning of performance year 2022. As we head into the fourth…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Time to Set Goals!

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

As we move into 2025, more than ever, it’s time to assess the security and compliance of your organization. Every day an article is in the news about the latest hacking…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Administrative Safeguards

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The HIPAA Security Rule defines Administrative Safeguards (45 CFR § 164.308) as “administrative actions, and policies and procedures, to manage the selection, development…

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Value-Based Care

2024 MIPS Hardship Application Deadline Approaching

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The deadline to file for a 2024 MIPS hardship is rapidly approaching. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires 2024 MIPS hardship applications to be submitted…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: ‘Tis the Season!

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

It’s the most wonderful time of the year; however, could there be more to do?! Here’s why you need to stay ever-vigilant: threat actors are doing exactly the same, especially…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: The Almighty Password

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

So many passwords for so many accounts – what is a person to do? Are you thinking “I’m SO tired of hearing about passwords or having to create them, and not able to use four…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA and the Internet of Things

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The Internet of Things, most commonly referred to as IoT, are devices that may be used in healthcare environments. Some examples include: Remote patient monitoring Blood glucose…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) addressed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare environments while maintaining HIPAA compliance. HIPAA…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Privacy Rule Updates

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The 2024 updates to the HIPAA Privacy Rules include: Allowing patients to inspect PHI in person and take notes or photographs of their PHI. Changing the maximum time to provide…

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Value-Based Care

New Hardship Option Available for MIPS

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized a policy allowing MIPS participants to request a hardship if their performance data is not submitted due to…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HHS OCR Risk Analysis Initiative

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

During the OCR/NIST Safeguarding Health Information HIPAA Security Conference held in October 2024, OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainer stated one of the main focuses for OCR will…

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Value-Based Care

New 2024 MIPS Automatic Hardships Announced

Sarrah Hakim, Manager of Health Policy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that they have identified certain counties in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina…

Read more →
Value-Based Care

Quality Reporting for Your ASC: 2025 Final Changes

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy

On November 1, 2024 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 1,734-page 2025 Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program (ASCQR) Final Rule. This…

Read more →
HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Violations

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

A HIPAA violation is defined as the following: the failure to comply with the HIPAA Rules – Privacy, Security and Breach Notification. The failure to comply with any of the…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Reminders for Cybersecurity Awareness

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

1. Carefully inspect links and attachments in emails before taking action. When in doubt contact the sender directly (phone call). Always look for the “Red Flags” to determine an…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Physical Servers Versus Cloud Servers

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The million-dollar question?! Well, not that much thank goodness. Physical servers offer the benefit of dedicated resources providing consistent performance for organizations with…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Multi-Factor Authentication

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a multi-step login process that requires users to provide more than just a password to verify their identity. MFA increases security levels by…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Disaster Recovery Plan

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Did you know that in the HIPAA Rules a Disaster Recovery Plan is a requirement? The HIPAA Security Rule requires healthcare organizations to implement a Disaster Recovery Plan…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA 26.2

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

As promised, let’s delve into how to successfully get to HIPAA 26.2! There will never be a “finish line” when it comes to HIPAA privacy, security and now, cybersecurity awareness…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Identity Security

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

What is Identity Security and why do we need to pay such close attention to this? Identity security is not just about authentication and authorization, it is at the heart of…

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Value-Based Care

Quality Reporting for Your ASC: 2025 Proposed Changes

Jessica Peterson, Senior Director of Value-Based Care Policy

On July 10, 2024 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 984-page 2025 Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program (ASCQR) Proposed Rule. This…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Regular Review of User Accounts

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Most healthcare organizations will disable access to the EMR, Practice Management or billing systems and applications promptly (even immediately) upon a resignation or termination…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Hassle-Free HIPAA Compliance

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

I know what you’re thinking – is this possible? How great would my life be as the privacy, security and/or compliance officer if this were the case! Healthcare organizations have…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: National Security Memorandum-22

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

On April 30th the White House released National Security Memorandum-22 (NSM-22) on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience which updates national policy on how the U.S…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Cyber Attacks

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

What would you do? How quickly would your organization be able to recover and continue providing patient care? Disaster Recovery / Contingency Plans, cybersecurity training for…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: The Dos and Don’ts of HIPAA Training

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The HIPAA Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security Rule require training for Covered Entities, Business Associates, Business Associate Subcontractors, and their workforce members. The…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Identity and Access Management

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Identity and access management is a set of security services, processes, policies and tools used to define and manage the roles and permissions of users, devices and application…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: Essential Cybersecurity Practices

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

Implementing cybersecurity best practices is crucial for individuals and organizations to protect themselves against cyber risks. A strong foundation includes identifying…

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Value-Based Care

2024 MIPS Hardship Application Open

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened the 2024 MIPS hardship applications. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2024 at 8 pm ET. There are two…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: Passwords

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

I’d like this to sound like a broken record if it weren’t true: A recent study showed that 20% of passwords are compromised and 51% of passwords are reused. These statistics shed…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Why SMBs Are Cybercriminal’s Target

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

While news headlines announce large company breaches from cybersecurity incidents it is just as likely for cybercriminals to target small or mid-size businesses (SMBs). And why is…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Risk Assessment Process for Breaches

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

A breach is, generally, an impermissible use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule that compromises the security or privacy of PHI. An impermissible use or disclosure of unsecured…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA 13.1

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

When comparing the HIPAA Rules – Privacy, Security, Omnibus and Breach Notification – to a half marathon, think about the following areas that must be taken into account to…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: HIPAA Changes Coming in 2024

Dawn Meglino, HIPAA Compliance Specialist

The proposed rule, or Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), is the official document that announces and explains the agency’s plan to address a problem or accomplish a goal. HIPAA…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Tip: Can We Ever Be Too Secure?

Every day cyber-attacks are an ever increasing threat to businesses and organizations, especially in the healthcare sector, where patient data / one medical record can be sold on…

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Value-Based Care

2024 MIPS Dermatology Claims Reporting

Avoiding a MIPS penalty using claims reporting for Quality is getting increasingly difficult. While transitioning to electronic reporting is the safest way forward, it isn’t an…

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Value-Based Care

2023 MIPS Hardship Application Reopened

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that they are reopening the applications for 2023 MIPS extreme and uncontrollable circumstances (EUC) hardships to…

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Value-Based Care

2024 MIPS Ophthalmology Claims Reporting

Avoiding a MIPS penalty using claims reporting for Quality is getting increasingly difficult. While transitioning to electronic reporting is the safest way forward, it isn’t an…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: Facility Security Plan

Under the HIPAA Security Rule Physical Safeguards a Facility Security Plan (164.310(a)(2)(ii)) is defined as the following: “implement policies and procedures to safeguard the…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: Business Associates

Attending the National HIPAA Summit always brings up questions, even on the most basic topics/categories of the HIPAA Rule; one being Business Associates. HHS defines Business…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: Have a Cybersecurity Mindset

In order to continually enhance your organization’s cybersecurity position you need buy-in from your employees. When it comes to maintaining security for the organization this is…

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Value-Based Care

Electronic Case Reporting in 2024

Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) has been required under the MIPS Promoting Interoperability category since the beginning of performance year 2022. As we head into the third year…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: Data Privacy Week

Data Privacy Week runs January 21 through January 27, 2024. This initiative aims to raise awareness and promote online privacy among individuals and organizations. As companies…

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Value-Based Care

2024 MIPS Payment Adjustments Have Begun!

Pramoda Bapatla, Health Policy Analyst

All claims billed with DOS starting 1/1/2024 will reflect your MIPS payment adjustment. Your payments for services in 2024 will be adjusted based on your 2022 MIPS score. Some…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA Isn’t Going Away Folks!

2023 statistics are not in yet for security incidents that ended as HIPAA breaches, but all one needs to do is review The Office for Civil Rights HIPAA Wall of Shame to remind…

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HIPAA Tips

HIPAA TIP: New Year’s Resolutions

Here are some top New Year’s resolutions to follow the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules: 1. Make the organization more compliant. 2. Build up the security measures within the…

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