Category: Health Law, Clinical Category: Health Law, Clinical (show less) Other: Connecticut Other: Connecticut (show less)

Robert Madden, LCSW (CT), LICSW (MA), JD for this two-hour overview of recent federal regulation changes that are essential for your practice.

The Cures Act came out in April of 2021 and is a federal regulation granting patients more access to their medical records that are in online data bases including case notes/progress notes produced by social workers. This has led to some problems with clients reading what their therapists are writing about them or not being able to access their records because social workers have not made the required changes. Social workers have expressed concern about access to records by parents of minors and those who may be involved in intimate partner violence so it is critical that clinicians consider carefully how they need to structure their documentation and record keeping.

The No Surprises Act went into effect on January 1, 2022 and has immediate implications for clinical social workers (CSWs) and many other health provider types as well as healthcare facilities, insurers, and health plans. Enacted by Congress in late 2020 the No Surprises Act is intended to prevent consumers from receiving unanticipated medical bills. The new regulations apply broadly to all clinical social workers who are licensed, certified, or approved by the state and provide services to patients who are uninsured or wish to self-pay (e.g., are insured but do not intend to file a claim). Under this regulation, providers are now required to furnish good faith estimates (GFEs) to current/future patients of these types.

This workshop will review the new regulations and outline the specific actions that should be made by your practice to comply with the changes. The session time is two hours.