An insightful and informative newsletter from the Art of Practice Management. A dental practice management consulting company that focuses on revenue and collection systems, front desk systems and forms, dental insurance processing, medical/dental cross-coding systems and employment-law compliance.

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Hygiene Department
Analysis
You may believe that your practice is HIPAA complaint but, in
actuality, it may not be. In addition, are you aware of the steps
that must be taken in the event of a security breach of protected
health information (PHI)? The federal government, in 2009,
passed a law requiring health care providers to notify patients of
any security breaches that affect those patients as well as
reporting any breach to the federal government.
In addition, these laws were expanded upon since then and September 25, 2013 is
the new enforcement date for the latest changes in that law.
You are required to know what to do in the event of a breach. According to
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/breachnotificationrule/index.html,
“a breach is, generally, an impermissible use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule
that compromises the security or privacy of the protected health information such
that the use or disclosure poses a significant risk of financial, reputational, or other
harm to the affected.”
So what must you do to be prepared if a breach occurs? The following details the
steps that must be taken:
 Patient data must be encrypted. This includes emails that transmit patient
data. Modern dental practices are becoming more and more digitized. These
practices are quite often sending patient data, including x-rays, via email to
other dental practices. You need to determine if your email is encrypted.
 If you discover a breach, your first action should be to contact your attorney or
a company, such as Total Medical Compliance, that specializes in HIPAA
compliance. These sources will know far better than you how to file a breach
report.
 The regulations dealing with business associates who have access to your
patient information have changed. You need to stay updated on these
changes. Review your current business associate agreement to determine if it
is compliant with the current regulations. Once it is updated, make sure to
send it to all of those business associates for signatures.
 Follow the regulations regarding the destruction of patient records. Check
both federal and state regulations regarding this. If you use a shredding
service, make sure that you have a business associate agreement with them.
There are three exceptions to the breach definition. They are as follows:
 The unintentional acquisition, access, or use of protected health by a staff
member
 Inadvertent disclosure of PHI from a person authorized to access PHI and to
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Articles
Are You HIPAA Complaint?
Marianne Harper

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another person authorized to access PHI at a covered entity or business
associate
 If any doctor or staff member has a good faith belief that an unauthorized
individual who received the information would not have been able to retain the
information
This article only provides a brief look at part of the changes regarding HIPAA
compliance. My suggestion is to take the time to learn about HIPAA rules and
regulations. The HIPAA website already mentioned provides a great deal of
information. Also, companies such as Total Medical Compliance can help practices
to become compliant and stay compliant. I have read that the federal government
has hired and paid a huge sum to a private corporation to help with the process of
identifying practices that are not compliant and to prosecute them. They are out there
doing their job. Also, don’t be fooled into believing that your patients aren’t aware of
these HIPAA rules and regulations. The same website listed above also provides
much information for patients. Make it a point to check into your level of compliance.
Work with a company that can help your practice understand the rules and offer you
the assurance that, yes, you are compliant.
Uncovering the Evidence During a Periodontal Screening
Colleen Rutledge, RDH
Identifying the need for occlusal guards is an essential, yet under diagnosed part of a
comprehensive preventive care appointment. Effectively communicating the value of
occlusal guards can be easily achieved with ample evidence. Uncovering the
evidence during a periodontal screening is the key to increasing patient compliance
and practice profitability.
Consistent documentation of bruxing indicators during a 6 point periodontal screening
includes recession, incisal chips, wear facets and abfraction lesions. These ‘clues’
support the reasons for occlusal therapy intervention. Wearing magnification loupes
help clinicians find these ‘clues’ with the greatest of ease!
Diagnosing as few as two occlusal guards per week at $350 per guard, hygiene
production will increase $38,600.00 annually. Educating the hygiene team to better
identify evidence of occlusal trauma can dramatically increase hygiene production and
provide an added value to the recare appointment!
10% OFF SALE on every product in our store until July 15, 2013! Use code
JUNE13 at checkout. Please visit www.PerioAndBeyond.com to shop now!
Dental – You may have heard or read about some future changes requiring diagnosis
codes for dental claims. At present, diagnosis codes are only required when filing for
such treatments as more frequent prophies for patients with diabetes or for patients
who are pregnant. However, diagnosis coding for dental insurance is on the horizon.
Medical –
 Breaking news – On June 17th, CMS announced that the CMS-1500 claim form
has been revised and the revised form is the CMS-1500 (02/12). There was a
delay in the release of this form which has resulted in a delay in the date when
this form will be mandatory. Details on the new form and dates for
implementation will be covered in my next newsletter.
Insurance Alert

3.  When contacting medical insurance carriers to determine eligibility, coverage,
and the possible need for pre-authorization, do you ask if they will accept CDT
codes? Some carriers will accept these and, if they do, using them will take the
guess work out of using non-specific medical codes for dental work. So make it
a point to ask that very important question. Using CDT codes on medical claims
can simplify cross coding, if accepted by the carrier.
Update Time is Past Due –
Medical Codes and Dental Codes for 2013
And your updated medical coding manual contains the new CDT
codes also
CPT Code (medical procedure code set) will update as of January 1, 2013.
Purchasers of "CrossWalking – A Guide Through the CrossWalk of Dental to
Medical Coding" and/or the "Quick Look Up Cross Code List" – you should have
received an email that provides information on the way to order the update. Medical
insurance carriers will not accept outdated codes and will deny claims for that reason.
I am offering a less expensive update to the paper manual this year in an electronic
format. So take advantage of the savings and keep your codes up to date.
Click Here to Update Now!
CDT Code Update – Past Due – The ADA has announced that CDT codes will
update on January 1st of every year. If you haven't already purchased your 2013
code set, now is the time. I recommend Dr. Charles Blair's "Coding with Confidence."
It is the best source for all the detail that you need to understand the CDT codes. In
addition, consider a subscription to "Insurance Solutions Newsletter." Not only will you
receive a newsletter packed full of great coding information but the subscription also
includes a coding support service. You can't go wrong with that kind of help. To order
either or both of these, please click here.
September 23, 2013 – HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule – The updates to this rule were
published on January 25, 2013. The compliance date is September 23, 2013.
October 1, 2014 – The new date for ICD-10 implementation.
Favorite Quotes:
From “HIPAA Slogans, Mottos, Tag lines, Catch Phrases, Maxims...”
 Show you care by keeping protected health information private.
 Make sure those passing by don't see PHI.
 Before leaving the scene, clear your desk and your screen.
 Protecting each person's privacy is a key part of quality care.
 We verify ... all requests for PHI.
 Privacy Matters. Don't discuss personal healthcare information in public or
with those who do not need to know it.
 Say no to unauthorized requests for PHI.
 As everyone knows, PHI must not be improperly disclosed.
 You don't have to be a magician to ensure proper permission.
Time Line

4.  Verify all requests for access to PHI.
 HIPAA: It's not just a good idea. It's the law.
 HIPAA: It's not just a law - it's how we show we care.
 Before sharing PHI, know who, what, and why.
 Because we care, we're HIPAA aware.
 Information about your medical care is something we don't share, unless
you're aware (and have given written permission).
 We're not shy about protecting your PHI.
 To show our respect, we protect personal health information that we collect.
 HIPAA: We protect what we collect.
 There is no cure for data that's insecure. Protect each person's healthcare
information from unneeded exposure.
 Protecting PHI is everyone's job; PHI is not everyone's business.
Accessed from: http://www.nativeintelligence.com/ni-free/hipaa-poster-
slogans.asp, 6/10/13
Tips – For our Patients:
Efficiency is the key to so many areas in dentistry. Here’s a tip for those in the
business office – shortcut keys:
Alt + 0153..... ™... trademark symbol
Alt + 0169.... ©.... copyright symbol
Alt + 0174..... ®....registered trademark symbol
Alt + 0176 ...°......degree symbol
Alt + 0177 ...±....plus-or -minus sign
Alt + 0182 ...¶.....paragraph mark
Alt + 0190 ...¾....fraction, three-fourths
Alt + 0215 ....×.....multiplication sign
Alt + 0162...¢....the cent sign
Alt + 0161.....¡..... .upside down exclamation point
Alt + 0191.....¿..... upside down question mark
Alt + 1.......☺....smiley face
Alt + 2 ......☻.....black smiley face
Alt + 15.....☼.....sun
Alt + 12......♀.....female sign
Alt + 11.....♂......male sign
Alt + 6.......♠.....spade
Alt + 5.......♣...... Club
Alt + 3.......♥...... Heart
Alt + 4.......♦...... Diamond
Alt + 13......♪.....eighth note
Alt + 14......♫...... beamed eighth note
Alt + 8721.... ∑.... N-ary summation (auto sum)
Alt + 251.....√.....square root check mark
Alt + 8236.....∞..... infinity
Alt + 24.......↑..... up arrow
Alt + 25......↓...... down arrow
Alt + 26.....→.....right arrow
Alt + 27......←.....left arrow
Alt + 18.....↕......up/down arrow
Alt + 29......↔...left right arrow

5. Points of Interest:
Do you enjoy Sushi? Do you also enjoy dipping your Sushi in Wasabi?
According to my favorite source of “Point of Interest” information, “Uncle
John’s Bathroom Reader” (don’t laugh), you are probably not eating true
Wasabi. True Wasabi is much more expensive and is made from a plant
by the same name which is a horseradish-like root full of isothiocyanates
which produce potent vapors that attack nasal passages. What you may
be eating is simply a mixture of horseradish, mustard seed, and green food coloring.
How disappointing!
Is there someone you think would be interested in this newsletter?
Please feel free to forward this email to them. Thank you!
The Art of Practice Management
2217 Fox Horn Road • New Bern, NC 28562 • Phone: 1-252-637-6259
www.artofpracticemanagement.com • a.p.m.1@suddenlink.net
Perio-Therapeutics & Beyond
724 Fitzwatertown Road • Glenside, PA 19038 • Phone: 267-241-5833
www.perioandbeyond.com • colleen@perioandbeyond.com
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About us | Privacy policy | © Copyright 2013 - Marianne Harper
The contents of this publication reflect the opinion of the authors only. This publication is for informational purposes only.
Any reference to a company or product is done only to provide information about the same and does not reflect any connection between
the authors and the company.