ComplianceMnthlyRecap MH 5.16.22

HHS Releases Inflation-Adjusted Federal Civil Penalty Amounts

By Karen Hsu, Director of Compliance at United Benefit Advisors
  Nov 29, 2018 1:36:55 PM

shutterstock_270020036The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued its Annual Civil Monetary Penalties Inflation Adjustment. Here are some of the adjustments:

  • Medicare Secondary Payer:
    • For failure to provide information identifying situations where the group health plan is primary, the maximum penalty increases from $1,157 to $1,181 per failure.
    • For an employer who offers incentives to a Medicare-eligible individual to not enroll in employer sponsored group health that would otherwise be primary, the maximum penalty increases from $9,054 to $9,239.
    • For willful or repeated failure to provide requested information regarding group health plan coverage, the maximum penalty increases from $1,474 to $1,504.
  • Summary of Benefits and Coverage: For failure to provide, the maximum penalty increases from $1,105 to $1,128 per failure.
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA):

 Tier

Penalty
1. Did Not Know:
Covered entity or business associate did not know (and by exercising reasonable diligence would not have known) that it violated the provision of the Administrative Simplification regulations.
$114 - $57,051 for each violation, up to a maximum of $1,711,533 for identical provisions during a calendar year.
2. Reasonable Cause:
The violation was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.
$1,141 - $57,051 for each violation, up to a maximum of $1,711,533 for identical provisions during a calendar year.
3. Willful Neglect – Corrected:
The violation was due to willful neglect, but the violation is corrected during the 30-day period beginning on the first date the liable person knew (or by exercising reasonable diligence would have known) of the failure to comply.
$11,410 - $57,051 for each violation, up to a maximum of $1,711,533 for identical provisions during a calendar year.
2. Willful Neglect – Not Corrected:
The violation was due to willful neglect and the violation is not corrected as described in Tier 3.
$57,051 minimum for each violation, up to a maximum of $1,711,533 for identical provisions during a calendar year.

 

The adjustments are effective for penalties assessed on or after October 11, 2018, for violations occurring after November 2, 2015.

Topics: HHS, Medicare, compliance recap