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'Hot Topics in EMS Law' presentation planned for Madisonville By
LINDA BASHAM MANITOU — As you know all ambulance services are required under HIPAA to train their staff on HIPAA by April 2003 in order to comply with the law. In order to help the EMS community to fulfill this obligation 911 Billing Services and Consultant, Inc. is sponsoring a one day conference in Madisonville, Kentucky. Steve Wirth, Esquire a founding partner (along with Jim Page and Doug Wolfberg) in the national EMS law firm of Page, Wolfberg, and Wirth, LLC. will be our guest speaker for a presentation on “Hot Topics in EMS Law” on February the 12th. Attached is the current scheduled presentation. The conference will be held at the Richard Byrnes Auditorium at the Madisonville Kentucky Technical College. Single attendee’s can pay $75 or any companies wishing to send employees can send up to 5 persons for a flat fee of $200. This is to help offset the expense of the conference. Any excess funds will be donated to KAPA for speakers for the 2003 conference. We are working on getting a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Express for persons interested in staying the evening before the class. All interested persons should call 911 Billing Services to reserve their space at 270-824-8123 or by emailing me at lbasham@911billing.net please put in the subject line Conference Plans for _(name)_________. We would appreciate knowing how many plan to attend by February 5th. More information is available at http://www.911billing.net "Hot
Topics in EMS Law" Page,
Wolfberg, Wirth Program Description Right now there are more important legal developments in EMS than at any time in its history. Ambulance services of all types and sizes must stay on top of these current changes or risk exposing themselves to needless liability and expense. This full-day seminar will cover these and other "Hot Topics in EMS Law" and is presented by attorneys from the leading national EMS and medical transportation law firm. - HIPAA Compliance: The Clock is Ticking! The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) contains requirements for ambulance services and other health care providers to protect the privacy of all patient information. These massive Federal regulations – which were finalized in August, 2002 – pose one of the biggest compliance challenges for ambulance services in recent years. The regulations require new policies, procedures and forms relating to patient privacy, and this portion of the seminar will review the requirements of the HIPAA privacy regulations with specific explanations and examples for ambulance providers. - Dealing With Medicare: Getting Your Money, and Keeping It! This portion of the seminar explores the current requirements for what it takes to get ambulance claims paid by Medicare and other insurance carriers. Participants will receive an update of developments under the Medicare fee schedule, the ever-changing rules for medical necessity, and discover surprising things about what an "emergency" really is for Medicare purposes. This session will also review tips for dealing with potentially costly Medicare audits. - Implementing an Ambulance Service Compliance Program. This portion of the seminar will review the federal government’s draft compliance guidelines for ambulance services and discuss the steps for implementing your own compliance plan. We will discuss the key risk areas for ambulance services and how to identify and minimize those risks in your organization to maintain a sound legal ambulance operation. - Avoiding Liability Through Effective Documentation! Clear and accurate documentation that creates the proper "visual picture" is the key to minimizing liability should a lawsuit ever be filed against your EMS organization. In addition, effective documentation is crucial in supporting the level of services billed to Medicare and other payors. This portion of the program will review, in an entertaining and informative way, the importance of effective documentation and tips for documenting tough cases, such as minors, patient refusals and more. The top areas of EMS liability will be discussed along with practical tips on how to maximize the quality of patient care and avoid litigation. Sample Agenda 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Registration 8:30 – 8:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions 8:45 – 10:45 HIPAA Compliance: The Clock is Ticking! 10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Dealing With Medicare: Getting Your Money and Keeping It! (Part 1) 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Dealing With Medicare: Getting Your Money and Keeping It! 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Implementing an Ambulance Service Compliance Program 3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Break 3:15 – 4:30 p.m. Effective Documentation 4:30 p.m. Seminar Adjournment
Steve Wirth, Esquire is a founding partner (along with Jim Page and Doug Wolfberg) in the national EMS law firm of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC. He is a longtime former EMS provider, educator and administrator, having started as a volunteer EMT for a small rural fire department. He is also one of central Pennsylvania’s first paramedics. Immediately prior to law school, Steve was a key executive in the start up and development of EmergyCare in Erie, which was responsible for the reconstruction of the EMS system for Pennsylvania’s third largest city. Steve is also a long time volunteer firefighter, and is currently an active member of the Hampden Twp. Volunteer Fire Company. He is a frequent speaker at regional, state, and national EMS conferences, and has written or co-authored over 100 articles for various journals and publications on a wide range of EMS and ambulance industry topics. Steve graduated cum laude from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh, and he also holds a Master of Science Degree in Health Services Administration from Gannon University. He can be reached by e-mail at swirth@pwwemslaw.com, or by phone at 717-691-0100. Browse the firm’s web site at www.pwwemslaw.com. Sponsored by: 911
Billing Services and Consultant, Inc
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