The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutBudget/Finance Committee Minutes 02.18.2003 MINUTES BUDGET/FINANCE COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 18, 2003 5:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Ken Olson Mark Mace Gay Easton Bud Johnson OTHERS PRESENT: Mary Embleton Cathy Gabrian The regular meeting of the Budget/Finance Committee was called to order by Chairman Ken Olson at 5:05 p.m. The minutes for the February 3, 2003 Budget/Finance regular meeting were approved as presented. January Journal Vouchers #261 - 265 were approved. The committee reviewed the January, 2003 Financial Statements, and recommend approval &the statements to council. The following purchase requisitions were reviewed and approved: GENERAL FUND: Public defense - court Testimony costs from arbitration - attorney Lighting & wiring repairs due to fire damage - shop Replace 40-yd container damaged in fire - shop Replace overhead door destroyed in fire - shop $ 562.09 $ 588.92 $ 5,501.50 $ 6,475.00 $ 3,472.00 GAS TAX FUND: Set of 4 tires for skid steer loader $ 732.00 WATER FUND: LMI pump for alum - water plant $ 1,500.00 Training & teeh support for Work Order (split w/sewer) - water system $ 254.45 SEWER FUND: Remove & replace 2 Clow plug valves - sewer plant $ 5,000.00 Training & tech support for Work Order (split w/water) - sewer system $ 254.45 Repair pickup (Wingfoot company ins will pay) - sewer system $ 621.61 SOLID WASTE FUND: 25 300-gallon Containers - collection $ 5,075.00 Budget/Finance Committee February 18, 2003 Page 2 The committee reviewed the Comp/OT reports for PPE 2/2/03. The Payroll Register for PPE 2/02/03 totaling $115,348.71 was reviewed and the committee recommends approval by the council. Cathy Gabrian, Deputy City Clerk, reported on the status of the city's HIPAA compliance as it applies to the ambulance service. She prepared an outline which is attached to these minutes. Most of the concern is regarding the Privacy Rule compliance deadline of April 14, 2003, and how it needs to be implemented, both fi-om an administrative aspect, and an ambulance attendant aspect. Cathy has gathered substantial information through seminars, manuals and videos, and has worked with the city attorney and the ambulance director to prepare forms and a plan for implementing training and testing. She further explained that October 16th is the deadline for electronic transfer of Medicare information. This will require the purchase of another module to the existing ambulance billing program at a cost of approximately $1,800. The city will need to designate a "Privacy Officer" via job description. The committee asked several questions, including whether the city can recover some of these costs from user fees from the ambulance service, and whether a rate increase is needed at this time. The goal is to have all the paperwork completed, and resolutions before the council by the first meeting in April. Mary gave an update on the ambulance collision and recovery of damages. The city court was contacted by the MMIA. The promissory note was never signed and returned by the person responsible for the damages. After consideration, it was determined that the court's ability to assess and collect restitution from the responsible party, would be the strongest course of action. Bud told the committee that a letter has been sent to the MMIA regarding better communications, and that action will be taken. Under Other matters, the committee will try to streamline the meetings by reviewing the monthly documents, such as purchase requisitions, payroll reports and other materials requiring signatures, prior to the meeting. The next BudgetfFinance meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 4~ at 5:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, M~ K~b~eton Clerk/Treasurer WHAT IS HIPAA?? · HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. · It was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton on August 21, 1996. · It sets industry wide standards for submitting health information in electronic forms and maintaining the privacy and security of health information. · HIPAA is a federal government mandate and monetary penalties exist for non- compliance. · Regulatory agencies will most likely incorporate HIPAA compliance into their review or accreditation process. · The largest part, over 70%, of HIPAA compliance is operational in nature, and only about one-third technical. This means that we must have policies, procedures and business practices in place that meet the HIPAA privacy requirement. PRACTICAL VIEW OF HIPAA · HIPAA is larger and more complex than Y2K. · Y2K was strictly a systems issue with a defined ending and a limited and identifiable scope. · The issues that HIPAA addresses not only involve technology, but requirements imposed on administration operations, which effect everything from document storage, to medical procedures coding, to customer service. · Compliance with HIPAA will be constantly evolving process with no defined end. AREAS OF HIPPA · Privacy Rule - deadline April 14, 2003. · Transactions Code Sets Rule - October 16, 2002 with one-year extension available since we filed a model compliance plan before that date. · Security Rule - No compliance deadline yet as the final nde has not been published. HIPAA The PRIVACY BASIC PRINCIPLES Privacy rule will: · Allow health information to be used and shared easily to carry out treatment, payment and healthcare operations. · Require written authorization for use and disclosure of health information. · Create a notice of privacy practices to inform individuals of how their information is used and disclosed. · Ensure that individuals have access to information about them and require healthcare providers to maintain administrative and physical safeguards to protect health information. WHAT HEALTH INFORMATION IS PROTECTED? · Any information that relates to past, present or future physical or mental health condition. · Individually identifiable health information includes o Patient care reports or "trip sheets"; o Dispatch information received by the ambulance service; o Physician certification statements; Call intake records; Medical records and insurance information received from hospitals and other health care facilities; Claims, remittances advice documents, invoices and other payment-related forms. KEY ELEMENTS OF HIPAA PRIVACY RULE Establishes boundaries on medical record use and release Ensures the confidentiality of Personal Health Information (PHI) · Provides more patient control over health information · Establishes accountability for use and release of medical information HIPAA PROVIDES PATIENTS WITH MORE RIGHTS TO THEIR INFORMATION Patients may: · Request accounting of disclosures · Request amendments to PHI · Inspect and copy PHI · Receive confidential communication · Restrict uses or disclosures · File complaints NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES Each practice must provide patients with a "Notice of Privacy Practices." · Notice must inform patients of their rights and the routine uses and disclosures made by the organization. · Notice must be posted in a prominent location · Providers must make effort to obtain acknowledgement that patient was made available a copy of the notice. · Each time a patient's information is used or disclosed it must be documented. AMENDMENTS TO HEALTH INFORMATION · An individual has the right to request an amendment to their PHI if they believe it to be inaccurate. · The provider must have standard procedures in place to accommodate a patient's request to .a~nend PHI. · Your office must permit patients to request restrictions on the uses or disclosures of health information for any purposes. o We do not have to accept the patient's request o Need to be careful about accepting restrictions IMPLEMENTATION · Designate Privacy Officer · Document everything all along the way · Use "Authorized Personnel Only" signs · Lock file cabinets · E-mails must be encrypted