States Appear to Outpace Fed Law Making
Matthew Albright
February 5, 2025
While political news is gushing from Washington on a daily basis, actual laws or regulations are not as forthcoming from DC as they are in
As we approach the holidays and look back on the past year we had and look forward to the new year and new presidential administration, I want to discuss some developments in what I think we can all agree are some of the hottest topics in healthcare right now: artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.
First up is the one that has my vote for the “It” topic of 2024: artificial intelligence (AI).
As predicted over the last few weeks, President-Elect Trump appointed entrepreneur and venture capitalist David Sacks as his “AI and crypto czar.” You may have heard this term “czar” a lot in the last few years, but it generally refers to a high-level executive-branch appointee who specializes in some specific area of policy.
Notably, the position bypasses the typical Senate confirmation process that can take months or even years, and allows a president to hire someone immediately. Presidents as far back as FDR have utilized the concept, but this is the first time one will be dedicated to this type of technology. While not much is known about the newly created position, Trump stated that Sacks will “guide policy” and create the legal framework on AI and cryptocurrency, focusing on making the U.S. the leader in both areas by “safeguard(ing) free speech online, and steer(ing) us away from big tech bias and censorship.”
At the Capitol, current health policy congressional staff recently met with the nonprofit AI group Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) for an event where roundtable participants gave their opinions on the future of AI under the second Trump Administration and new Congress.
Frequent readers may recall that in the fall of 2023, Congress held a series of discussions in which the goal was to find out the basics of AI and AI policy. In predicting more bipartisan work on the issue, as it has generally been so far, a Democrat staffer at the event noted that Congress is now ready for specific policy recommendations, rather than general fact-finding. A GOP staffer echoed the likelihood of future bipartisan action, and noted Trump’s enthusiasm for AI.
Turning to cybersecurity and its outlook for the new year, a recent Stat report suggests that as many as 172 million U.S. citizens have been impacted in some way by health data breaches in 2024, and with the recent government report that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is struggling to meet its cybersecurity responsibilities, the issue is pressing.
With that in mind, a group of bipartisan senators introduced a new bill directly targeting healthcare cyberattacks. Titled the Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2024, the bill is a result of the Senate healthcare cybersecurity working group last year.
The bill, according to a press release from the authors, strengthens cybersecurity in the sector in several ways: by clarifying cybersecurity breach reporting obligations, providing grants to hospitals for cyberattack prevention and response improvements, and providing training on and modernizing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations to ensure that covered entities are required to use best cybersecurity practices.
While it’s been made pretty clear that President-Elect Trump is ready to tackle AI head-on, it’s slightly less clear what direction he could take on cybersecurity issues. Although efforts on both have generally been bipartisan thus far, many have commented on the potential for an overall reduction in regulations under a Trump Administration more broadly, and budget uncertainty for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency – that is, the agency responsible for cybersecurity in the U.S.
Only 2025 will tell!
While political news is gushing from Washington on a daily basis, actual laws or regulations are not as forthcoming from DC as they are in
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the healthcare industry, bringing significant advancements in clinical applications, patient care, and administrative efficiency. However, while much of the discussion
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Master the complexities of heart failure coding with this expert-led webcast by Emily Montemayor, CCS, CMBCS, COC, CPC, CPMA. Discover strategies to ensure compliance with ICD-10-CM guidelines, documentation integrity, and capture comorbidities like CKD and hypertension. Learn how to resolve coding challenges, improve documentation practices, and submit clean claims to minimize denials and safeguard your organization’s financial health. With practical insights and real-world examples, this session equips you to prevent revenue leakage, enhance compliance, and secure optimal reimbursement—all while supporting better patient outcomes.
Prepare your organization for the 2025 OPPS updates with expert insights from Tiffani Bouchard, CCS, CRCR, a Revenue Integrity Professional with over 30 years of experience. This webcast will address critical challenges in charge capture and coding, providing clarity on APC policies, C-APC packaging, exclusions, and payer-specific requirements. Attendees will learn actionable strategies to ensure compliance, optimize reimbursement, and mitigate risks of claim denials. Gain the knowledge needed to implement updates effectively, educate your team, and maintain seamless revenue cycle operations in the face of evolving OPPS complexities.
Join Beth Wolf, MD, CPC, CCDS, for an in-depth webcast on the FY2025 spinal fusion MS-DRG updates. Discover key changes in DRG classification, understand impacts on documentation and CMI, and learn strategies to ensure compliance.
Join Angela Comfort, DBA, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, as she presents effective strategies to strengthen collaboration between CDI, coding, and quality departments in acute care hospitals. Angela will also share guidance on implementing cross-departmental meetings, using shared KPIs, and engaging leadership to foster a culture of collaboration. Attendees will gain actionable tools to optimize documentation accuracy, elevate quality metrics, and drive a unified approach to healthcare goals, ultimately enhancing both patient outcomes and organizational performance.
The 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule brings significant changes to payment rates, coverage, and coding for physician services, impacting practices nationwide. Join Stanley Nachimson, MS., as he provides a comprehensive guide to understanding these updates, offering actionable insights on new Medicare-covered services, revised coding rules, and payment policies effective January 1. Learn how to adapt your practices to maintain compliance, maximize reimbursement, and plan for revenue in 2025. Whether you’re a physician, coder, or financial staff member, this session equips you with the tools to navigate Medicare’s evolving requirements confidently and efficiently.
Dr. Ronald Hirsch provides critical details on the new Medicare Appeal Process for Status Changes for patients whose status changes during their hospital stay. He also delves into other scenarios of hospital patients receiving custodial care or medically unnecessary services where patient notifications may be needed along with the processes necessary to ensure compliance with state and federal guidance.
Healthcare organizations face complex regulatory requirements under the No Surprises Act and Price Transparency rules. These policies mandate extensive fee disclosures across settings, and confusion is widespread—many hospitals remain unaware they must post every contracted rate. Non-compliance could lead to costly penalties, financial loss, and legal risks. Join David M. Glaser Esq. as he shows you how to navigate these regulations effectively.
Protect your facility from unwanted audits! Join Becky Jacobsen, BSN, RN, MBS, CCS-P, CPC, CPEDC, CBCS, CEMC, and take a deep dive into both the CMS and AMA guidelines for reporting post operative pain blocks. You’ll learn how to determine if the nerve block is separately codable with real life examples for better understanding. Becky will also cover how to evaluate whether documentation supports medical necessity, offer recommendations for stronger documentation practices, and provide guidance on educating providers about documentation requirements. She’ll include a discussion of appropriate modifier and diagnosis coding assignment so that you can be confident that your billing of post operative pain blocks is fully supported and compliant.
Copyright © 2025 RACmonitor. Powered by MedLearn Media.
Happy National Doctor’s Day! Learn how to get a complimentary webcast on ‘Decoding Social Admissions’ as a token of our heartfelt appreciation! Click here to learn more →
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
