The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released Change Request (CR) 8358, Additional Data Reporting Requirements for Hospice Claims. The implementation date on the CR is January 6, 2014. There is, however, additional voluntary reporting and mandatory reporting dates which are outlined in this article.

Public Intelligence has published a joint release from the US Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice cautioning government workers about the severity of malware threats on the Android platform. According to the government’s findings, 79% of mobile operating malware threats in 2012 took place on Android, compared to 0.3% on Windows Mobile. Thinking about buying a tablet for your home health or hospice workplace? Avoid any HIPAA violations by learning the facts about Android tablet devices, and consider a Windows Mobile device instead.

Microsoft has made no secret that support for Windows XP ends in less than a year -- April 8, 2014, to be precise. But a new initiative surfaced on the Microsoft Security blog last week to drive home the practical impact of that event. Microsoft says all Windows XP machines will be vulnerable to hackers and other security risks -- forever.

The 2013 Home Health and Hospice Workshop series is designed for home health and hospice providers, billers, administrative staff and clinicians to equip them with the tools they need to be successful with Medicare billing and documentation. These workshops will provide insight for new, intermediate, or advanced staff. The workshops will be hosted in several different states across the U.S. and will continue on until the end of August.