Past Events

The Summit and its resources are designed to empower and inform individuals and families, businesses, schools, churches and other community and government organizations and their leaders about options to continue safe and responsible reopening of Texas and America. Along with the Summit program, the Summit webpage also includes a Virtual Event Hall with information, exhibits and other resources on coping with COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemic threats.

Employer and other group health plan sponsors, fiduciaries, insurers and other plan vendors should verify the adequacy of their current health plan or policy's mental health coverage rules and administration with existing federal rules mental health coverage and disclosure requirements applicable to group health plans and group and individual heath insurers under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) in light of the broadened interpretation of these requirements jointly announced by the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) in a new June 16, 2017 guidance package interpreting the effect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) on the MHPAEA. Solutions Law Press, Inc. will host a webinar briefing on the mental health rules including the new guidance from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Central Time on June 27, 2017. Generally, MHPAEA requires that the financial requirements and treatment limitations imposed on mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits cannot be more restrictive than the predominant financial requirements and treatment limitations that apply to substantially all medical and surgical benefitts as well as imposes several disclosure requirements for informing participants and beneficiaries about those requirements on group health plans and health insurance issuers. Since enacting the MHPAEA, federal requirements for mental health and substance abuse coverage and disclosure requirements were further expanded as a result of the enactment of the ACA. Furthermore, provisions of the Cures Act enacted on December 13, 2016 sought to improve compliance with MHPAEA by requiring the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury to solicit feedback from the public on how to improve disclosure of the information required under MHPAEA and other laws. In publishing Mental Health Parity Implementation FAQs Part 38, the Departments confirm their interpretation of the ACA and Cures Act as having raised the bar that the Departments expect health plans and insurers to meet to fulfill the MHPAEA's requirements for informing participants and beneficiaries about their mental health and substance abuse coverage and benefit rights under their plans. Beyond confirming their heightened disclosure expectations, the Departments also published and invited comments on a Draft MHPAEA Disclosure Template that participants and beneficiaries could use to request mental health coverage and benefit information form plans and insurers as well as PRA Information Collection Request requesting comments on the proposed disclosure template and other mental health and substance abuse issues and guidance.. Unquestionably, the Departments joint publication of the guidance package and proposed model notice clearly signal that the Departments plan to step up efforts to hold health plans and insurers responsible for properly notifying participants and beneficiaries about their their mental health and substance abuse rights under the MHPAEA, the ACA and the Cures Act. Beyond the potential additional responsibilities proposed in the new guidance, publication of guidance like this usually signals in enhanced audit and enforcement, ensuring proper compliance with these federal rules is particularly important because violations can trigger substantial liability for the plans but also their sponsors. These mental health rules are among the federal health plan mandates that trigger employer excise tax liability and Form 8928 excise tax self assessment and payment obligations under the Internal Revenue Code. Consequently, in addition to the claims and fiduciary liabilities that violations of these mental health mandates can create for group health plans and their fiduciaries, violations also expose employers and other health plan sponsors to liability to self identify, self-report on Internal Revenue Service Form 8928 and self-pay and excise tax of up to $100 per participant per day per uncorrected violation by the due date for filing of their annual corporate tax return. publication Solutions Law Press, Inc is hosting a webinar briefing on the mental health rules including the new guidance from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Central Time on June 27, 2017. If you are interested in receiving an invite to the June 27 Solutions Law Press, Inc. webinar, e-mail here.

Do you know what’s new for 2016 and your employee benefit plan? This seminar is for you! Join Weaver, Accredited Fiduciary Advisors* and Stamer, Chadwick and Soefje for an update on hot button topics regarding your employee benefit plan. Discussion topics include: Behavioral investing Affordable Care Act updates Legal risk management and enforcement Retirement and Department of Labor updates ...And much more! Up to three (3) hours of CPE credit will be awarded. No prerequisites. Intermediate level. There is no charge to attend this event.

Health care providers, health plans, health care clearinghouses and their business associates (Covered Entities) face new imperatives to review and tighten their practices to ensure their practices comply with recently released guidance from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR)) emphasizing and clarifying the responsibilities of health care providers, health plans and the healthcare clearinghouses under the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to provide access to individuals that are the subject of protected health information or “PHI” to access or copies of their PHI in accordance with HIPAA’s rules and other recent HIPAA guidance and enforcement. With OCR’s recent release of added guidance and OCR enforcement statistics continuing to show HIPAA access rule violations among the most common HIPAA violations and OCR stepping up HIPAA enforcement, health care providers, health plans, healthcare clearinghouses can expect heightened scrutiny and enforcement of these requirements. Additionally, Covered Entities also should evaluate the adequacy of their other practices in light of other recent OCR guidance and enforcement actions. Solutions Law Press, Inc.™ invites to catch up on the latest guidance on HIPAA’s requirements to provide access to patients to PHI by registering here to participate in the Solutions Law Press, Inc.™ “HIPAA Update: The Latest On Security, Patient Access & Other HIPAA Developments” WebEx briefing from Cynthia Marcotte Stamer on Friday, March 18, 2016. During the Briefing, Ms. Stamer will provide participants with: An update on OCR enforcement actiions and guidance over past 12 months A detailed discussion of OCR’s new guidance about when Covered Entities must provide PHI access or copies to patients Discuss rules and best practices for verifying the identity and credentials of an individual requesting PHI as a patient or personal representative of a patient Share tips for contracting and dealing with business associates to facilitate administration of patient PHI access and security compliance activities Share other practical considerations & best practices for compliance and risk management Respond to participant questions on a time permitting basis More

Telemedicine fans continue to tout "telemedicine" and other health care services delivered remotely, via the telephone or internet, to employer and other health benefit program sponsors and payers as cost-effective and convenient alternatives to traditional face-to-face examinations or consultations by physicians. To make knowledgeable decisions about when and what telemedicine benefits to offer, employer and other plan sponsors should understand differences between telemedicine services, how key legal and operational considerations shape telemedicine services and offerings, and other key considerations that commonly impact the nature, quality, and value of various telemedicine and other remote care services. This webinar will explore what telemedicine is, federal and state health and insurance regulatory and enforcement practices that previously have restricted the availability of telemedicine services, how the Affordable Care Act and other changes in some states' telemedicine regulation and enforcement practices are paving the way for expanded use of telemedicine in some, but not all, states and how these regulatory and other key legal and operational considerations impact the telemedicine and other remote care services offered to plan participants, employer and other plan sponsor decisions about when to cover telemedicine and other remote care, and their credentialing and contracting for these services. Our expert panel also will discuss why employers are turning to telemedicine, including via mobile medical smartphone "apps", as a means of offering care to their employees, including what employee populations can benefit from such technology and what potential HIPAA privacy and other perils and responsibilities employers, plan fiduciaries, and health insurers must address when selecting, contracting for, implementing, and using these and other telemedicine services and tools in connection with their health benefit programs. Moderator: Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Stamer Chadwick Soefje, PLLC, Plano, TX Speakers: Nora Belcher, Executive Director, Texas e-Health Alliance, Austin, TX Gary Capistrant, Chief Policy Officer, American Telemedicine Association, Washington, DC Virginia Alverson Mimmack, Jackson Walker LLP, Dallas, TX Elle Ross, Legislative Counsel, Congressman Pete Sessions Office, Washington, DC

PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR FIRST EVENT OF 2016

Stamer Chadwick Soefje PLLC attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will present "Health Care Reform 2015 Survival Bootcamp" to the Dallas Estate Planning Council October 1, 2015 Noon luncheon meeting at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, TX. This highlights version of her 1/2 day workshop is designed to help employers, health plan fiduciaries and advisors understand and cope with health care reform and other federal health plan mandates and risks.

Ms. Stamer will share her insights as a panelist on the “Health Plan Advice: Ethics, Technical & Practical Challenges” program that the Tax Section Employee Benefits Committee and the RPTE Employee Benefits Group Welfare Plans Committee are presenting from 2:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. focusing on a broad range of cutting edge ACA and other health and welfare plan developments including the Supreme Court’s recent Obergefell v. Hodges and King v. Burwell decisions, Internal Revenue Code and other ACC reporting and disclosures, IRS and Labor Department health plan audits, and other health and welfare plan developments under the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act and other federal laws impacting health and welfare plan sponsors, fiduciaries, service providers and insurers, and advisors to be moderated by Professor Kathryn J. Kennedy, The John Marshall Law School. Other invited panelists include Shad Fagerland, Office of Associate Chief Counsel (TEGE), IRS; Elizabeth Leight, Society of Professional Benefit Administrators; Gabriel Marinaro, Smith Haughey & Roegge; Stephen Tackney, Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (Employee Benefits), Office of Associate Chief Counsel (TEGE), IRS; and Katie Johnson, Attorney Advisor, Office of Tax Policy, Department of Treasury. Ms. Stamer is past Chair of the RPTE Employee Benefit Group as well as a former Chair of the RPTE Welfare Benefit Plan Committee.

The North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association (NTHCPA) invites members and other interested health care compliance professionals to join us on Tuesday, September 15, 2015 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for our Study Group Luncheon featuring a program on “Employee Benefit Security Administration Insights On Healthcare Organization’s Health & Other Employee Benefit Plan Rights & Responsibilities Under Employee Retirement Income Security Act” from U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA) Investigator Kristi Gotcher. The health and other employee benefit plan rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) generally offer important protections and create significant compliance challenges for health care organizations and providers. On one hand, health care providers generally rely heavily on their or their patient’s ability to obtain health benefits promised under employer or union-sponsored health plans covering their patients to help reimbursement provider charges. Meanwhile, health care providers and their leaders also can incur significant liability for failing to comply with ERISA’s rules when establishing and maintaining health or other employee benefit programs for their own employees. Drawing on her involvement as investigator with the Department of Labor agency primarily responsible for both interpreting and enforcing ERISA’s rules, EBSA Ms. Gotcher will share key updates and insights on both how ERISA and the EBSA can help patients and providers enforce benefit rights under ERISA-covered health plans and key health and highlight employee benefit compliance responsibilities that health care organizations and their leaders need to ensure that their own health and other employee benefit programs meet to avoid violating ERISA. Kristi A. Gotcher is an Investigator with the United States Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in the Dallas Regional Office. Kristi began working for EBSA in the Dallas Regional Office in November 2007 as a Benefits Advisor. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Political Relations from St. Edwards University and a J.D. from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (now Texas A&M University School of Law). Ms. Gotcher is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Invites Members and Guests to Our Next Group Luncheon “Healthcare Governing Board Best Practices For Compliance Oversight" Tuesday, May 19, 2015 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. DFW Hospital Council Offices 250 Decker Drive Irving, Texas RSVP by Noon on May 18, 2015 here Space Limited! Register Early To Reserve Your Spot To Participate! Stay In Touch. Check Out Our New Newsletter, the NTHCPA News, here Please share this invitation with others who might be interested in this topic or other NTHCPA events! The North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association (NTHCPA) invites members and other interested health care compliance professionals to join us on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for our Study Group Luncheon featuring on ““Healthcare Governing Board Best Practices For Compliance Oversight." During the program, NTHCPA President Erma Lee, Compliance and NTHPCA Vice President Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will brief participants on the tips and guidance provided in the "Practical Guidance for Health Care Governing Boards on Compliance Oversight," jointly released on April 20, 2015 by the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS OIG), the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), the Association of Healthcare Internal Auditors (AHIA) and the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) to assist governing boards of health care organizations to carry out what HHS views as their compliance plan oversight obligations. Following the briefing, Ms. Stamer will facilitate a discussion and sharing among participants about strategies for using this new resource along with other OIG guidance and participant’s experiences to help their health care organizations, boards and leaders carry out and document their compliance and compliance oversight responsibilities to help promote defensibility in the event of an investigation or audit. About the Speakers NTHCPA President, Erma Lee, CHC and NTHCPA Vice President Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Esq. will lead this month’s discussion. Ms. Lee is the Compliance Officer for JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas, the county hospital system responsible for caring for the needs of families in Tarrant County, Texas. In her role with JPS Health Network, Ms. Lee oversees and leads the compliance activities for the system including supporting its Board with their oversight of the compliance efforts of the organization and its activities. Ms. Lee is certified in Healthcare Compliance and is a member of the Healthcare Compliance Association, American Healthcare Lawyers Association, Privacy Officers Association and the National Association for Health Services Executives. A practicing attorney and health industry thought leader, advocate and author with more than 27 years’ experience advising, representing and defending health and managed care organizations, their board and other leaders, and others on legal and operational compliance, risk, performance and other legal and operational management and health industry concerns. In her role as outside operations and special counsel, Ms. Stamer has worked extensively with health care organization boards and other leaders to design, oversee, administer and defend compliance, risk management, governance and other policies, programs, practices to promote legal and operational compliance and defensibility.. An attorney Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Specialization, Ms. Stamer’s experience includes advising and supporting health care organizations, their boards and other leaders to anticipate and respond to statutory, regulatory and enforcement, contractual and operational compliance and performance management needs and challenges, to assess, design, document and communicate, administer, monitor and defend governance, internal controls, up the ladder reporting and oversight, and other compliance and risk management policies and practices, to conduct and respond to audits and investigations, and to implement, enforce and defend these practices. As a serial board member and audit committee chair of various non-profit health care and professional organizations, Ms. Stamer brings to the table an understanding of both the legal and other management challenges of organizations, their boards and other leaders. A widely published author and frequent speaker who serves in the leadership of many professional and civic organizations, Ms. Stamer also conducts board, leadership, and compliance training for a broad range of health industry and other organizations including the Medical Group Management Association, Decision Health, the Health Care Compliance Association, the Association of State and Territorial Health Care Organizations, the American Bar Association, the American Health Lawyers Association, numerous medical societies and others. She also annually serves as a planning committee member and faculty member of numerous health and managed care and other programs and conferences. To explore engaging Ms. Stamer to provide legal services, training or other services or to learn more about Ms. Stamer, her work and publications, see www.cynthiastamer.com. Registration & Meeting Details The meeting scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at the DFW Hospital Council Offices located at 250 Decker Drive, Irving Texas. Participants who timely R.S.V.P. will enjoy a complimentary luncheon. Networking and lunch service will begin at 11:30. Our program will begin at Noon. NTHCPA encourages members and other interested health care compliance professionals to register early to reserve their spot to participate and to share this invitation with others in the industry who might benefit from participation. There is no charge to participate in the meeting. However space is limited and available only on a first come, first serve basis. To ensure your spot and help us to arrange for adequate space and refreshments for this meeting, R.S.V.P. here as soon as possible and no later than Noon on May 18, 2015. Walk in guests will be accommodated on a space-available basis only. About the NTHCPA NTHCPA exists to champion ethical practice and compliance standards and to provide the necessary resources for ethics and compliance Professionals and others in North Texas who share these principles. The vision of NTHCPA is to be a pre-eminent compliance and ethics group promoting lasting success and integrity of organizations within North Texas. Sponsorship and Other Involvement Opportunities Would you or someone you know like to join the NTHCPA, get notice of upcoming meetings or events and network on relevant professional developments with other health care professionals? Stay on top of information about upcoming meetings and share and dialogue with other NTHCPA members about health care compliance challenges and developments by participating in our meetings and events, joining our Linked In Group here and checking out the NTHCPA News here. To be added to our invitation list, we also encourage interested persons to make sure we have your current contact information by registering for the meeting or sending your current contact information including name, title, company, preferred mailing address, e-mail, and telephone number to Vice-President Cynthia Marcotte Stamer here. We also invite interested members to volunteer to help make our study group a success. If you or someone you know would like to help support for the NTHCPA by sponsoring the luncheon or hosting a social hour, speaking at or helping to plan upcoming meetings, suggesting a speaker or topic, helping with the newsletter or website getting more involved in other ways, let us know by emailing us here. This communication may be considered marketing purposes. If you wish to update your e-mail for purposes of or would prefer not to receive future e-mail concerning meetings or other activities of the North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association or other marketing and promotional mailings from it, please send an email with the word “unsubscribe” in its subject heading here. Please share this invitation with others who might be interested in this topic or other NTHCPA events!

Same-Sex Marriages and Domestic Partnerships: Lessons Learned, Unanswered Questions and Best Practices In striking down Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples are legally entitled to the same benefits under federal law as all other married couples. This session will address how gequalh LGBT individuals really are and what impact this decision had on employee benefits. Specifically: ¡¡ LGBT individuals, family, estate, benefit and asset protection planning issues generally; ¡¡ What Windsorfs removal of Section 3 of DOMA did and didnft fix; ¡¡ Immigration issues impacting same-sex marriages and domestic partnerships; ¡¡ What guidance is needed from the IRS and other agencies; ¡¡ Employee benefits rights and planning for same-sex couples; and ¡¡ Special LGBT employee benefit distribution, asset protection, estate and other related issues.

Employers and other persons who are liable for the Code Section 4980D excise tax are required to file IRS Form 8928, and thereby self-report violations under the ACA and pay the excise tax. The taxes also apply to multiemployer plans and multiple employer welfare arrangements. Employers, insurers or other vendors must file IRS Form 8928 "Return of Certain Excise Taxes" Under Chapter 43 of the Internal Revenue Code, with the excise tax payment. The discussion will explore what TPAs need to understand about this reporting requirement and how to explain the rule to their clients. Registration To register for this webinar, go to: Speaker: Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Esq., Cynthia Marcotte Stammer PC, Plano, TX Cynthia Marcotte Stamer is Board Certified—Labor & Employment Law by Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Elizabeth Ysla Leight, Esq., Director of Government Relations and Legal Affairs, SPBA Learning Objectives >> Learn about the requirements to self-report ACA violations. >> Learn when the excise tax is due for employers, insurers and vendors, such as TPAs. >> Learn how violations are covered by the Regulations under IRC Section 4980D. >> Understand the pros and cons of reporting a violation. >> Learn the Excise Tax Amounts for failing to self-report violations. Who Should Attend Direct employees of SPBA member TPA firms and Stop-Loss Partners should attend.

The North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association (NTHCPA) invites members and other interested health care compliance professionals to join us on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for our Study Group Luncheon featuring on “.” During the program, Ms. Smith will present and discuss a case study of an OIG investigation of a hospital system and its providers for billing (in)accuracies primarily due to acuity of care issues relating to the 24-hour requirement for admission to highlight and illustrate key lessons all health care providers can draw from her real world experiences about practical internal audit and internal controls insights for improving hospital and other health care billing accuracy and defensibility including: • The 990 process • Reviewing care for billing accuracy related to acuity • Cost, implementation & Other challenges presented by go-forward audit process About the Speaker Jennifer Smith, CPA, JD, MBA, CFE, CFF has worked in healthcare regulatory compliance for 18 years, first with a focus on long-term care followed by ten years of accounting, finance, and regulatory compliance for a broader spectrum of healthcare players, working in both a valuation and dispute advisory capacity. Currently Ms. Smith is a consultant for CBIZ Valuation and is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M Commerce. At A&M, her primary teaching and research interests are forensic accounting and financial auditing, with a focus on healthcare issues in these areas.

The Tweet Chat will encourage discussion about situations that could lead a plan sponsor into an Affordable Care Act (ACA) violation, what corrective actions might be appropriate, and “whether, when and how” to use Form 8928 to self-report ACA violations.

While November 4, 2014 Republican election victories gave Republicans a narrow majority in both the House and Senate when the new Congress is sworn in January 3, 2015, the new Republican Majority may face significant challenges. We will be watchful as they strive to deliver on their promises to move quickly to enact more business-friendly health care, guest worker, tax and other key reforms Republicans say will boost the employment and the economy. Democrat leaders say they plan to work with the new majority. President Obama already is threatening to use vetoes, regulations and executive orders to block Republicans from obstructing or rolling back his pro-labor policy and enforcement agenda. When the new Congress takes office, the narrowness of the Republican Majority in the Senate means Republicans can’t block a Democratic filibuster or override a Presidential veto without recruiting some Democratic support. Learn what you need to know to get oriented for the year ahead from Cynthia Marcot Stamer, as an human resources and management leader from shared insights and predictions on the legislative, regulatory and enforcement agendas that HR, benefit and other business leaders need to plan for and watch in 2015. Attendees will learn: How management can benefit from monitoring and working to influence potential legislative, regulatory and enforcement developments when planning and administering HR and related workforce policies Key workforce and other legislative, regulatory and enforcement priorities and proposals Democrats and Republicans plan to pursue during 2015 Insights and predictions about how the narrow Republican majority, Mr. Obama’s lame duck presidency and other factors could impact each Party’s ability to pursue its agenda Management tips leaders can use to help monitor developments and to help shape legislation, regulation and enforcement through DallasHR, SHRM and other organizations as well as individually Tips for anticipating and maintaining flexibility to respond to legislative, regulatory and enforcement developments

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Invites Members and Guests to Our Next Group Luncheon From Flu Season to Ebola: Challenges & Best Practices For Containing & Responding To Contagious Diseases for Health Care Organizations Tuesday, October 21, 2014 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Dallas Ft. Worth Hospital Council Offices 250 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706 RSVP here by Noon on October 20, 2014 Register Early As Space Is Limited Stay In Touch. Check Out Our New Newsletter, the NTHCPA News here! About the Program North Texas Health Care Compliance Association (NTHCPA) invites NTHCPA members and other health industry leaders to discuss these concerns, share best practices, and explore other concerns joining with other NTHCPA members and guests for an open forum discussion on “From Flu Season to Ebola: Challenges & Best Practices For Containing & Responding To Contagious Diseases For Health Care Organizations” at the next NTHCPA Study Group Luncheon on October 21, 2014. The impending cold and flu season makes fall good time for care and other organizations to review and strengthen their contagious disease and associated leave, reporting and other practices. This year, however, the flurry of recent EBOLA, the flu, enterovirus 68 and other contagious disease outbreaks make it particularly imperative for health care and other organizations to review and tighten the adequacy of their current protocols, training and compliance, reporting, leave and other contagious disease processes. Help help contain these threats within your own organization and across the region by exchanging and sharing information, experience and insights between yourself and other members and guests.

The North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association (NTHCPA) invites members and other interested health care compliance professionals to prepare to meet upcoming HIPAA tests by coming for “OSHA Compliance Strategies for Health Care Organizations” from attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer at our next NTHCPA Study Group Luncheon on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. About the Program Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers face a host of special rules and challenges unique to the health care industry provide that complicate their ability to provide the safe workplace required by the Occupational Health & Safety Act and other health and safety laws. Health industry compliance professionals and their organizations are under growing pressure to meet these challenges. Prompted by is finding that the injury rate of health industry workers is twice the rate for private industry as a whole, the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) and other agencies increasingly are working to improve the safety of health care workers by targeting health industry employers for health and safety enforcement and other efforts. Mr. Chadwick will discuss key OSHA requirements, enforcement developments and compliance risk management strategies to help health care compliance and other health industry leaders manage OSHA and other occupational health and safety compliance responsibilities and risks and other related exposures. Description

Texas Policymakers & Regulators Panel

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Members and Guests to join the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council at Scottish Rite Hospital For Children for "Managing Incidents in a REGULATED DATA WORLD: Post Final Rule" featuring Heather Pixton, ID Experts July 23, 2014 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Marriage. Domestic Partnership. Sexual Preference. Dating. Sexual Harassment. Divorce. Domestic Violence. Childbirth. Child Care. Chemical Dependency. Depression, Disability. Financial Distress. Elder Care. Off-Duty Criminal and Other Inappropriate Behavior. Spousal Job Changes. Illness. Retirement. Death. The realities of management make dealing with the workforce implications of these and other aspects of employee’s private lives unavoidable for most businesses. Meanwhile, businesses also can incur substantial legal liability if the business mishandles these challenges or sensitive information relating to these private matters.

Conflicts among physicians or between physicians and others within an organization present significant risks and challenges for health care organizations impacting everything from quality, patient care, peer review, employment or shareholder liability, Joint Commission accreditation, recruitment and turnover and more. While most health care organizations and providers recognize the importance of preventing and managing these issues, finding or developing workable practical skills and strategies to keep or take the heat out of physician relationships is much more difficult. Ms. Ryan will lead a practical skill-development focused workshop to help health care compliance and other health care leaders understand and hone their skills for preventing, challenging and managing conflict among physicians.

HIPAA Privacy Post Omnibus Rule & Beyond

Stamer speaks on distinguished ABA Panl about HIPAA Compliance

NTHCPA Luncheon 'Health Policy Update & Dialog' by Congressman Pete Sessions

4th Annual HIMSS Socal Privacy & Security Forum Flyer2013

Should You Care About Remote Care

From Volume To Value: Managing The Health Care Reimbursement Voyage To The Unknown

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Invites Members and Guests to Our Next Group Luncheon SEX, DRUGS & ROCK ‘N ROLE: MANAGING PHYSICIAN CONDUCT IN HEALTH CARE Featuring Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, J.D. Managing Shareholder, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, P.C. & NTHCPA Vice-President Tuesday, September 17, 2013 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dallas Ft. Worth Hospital Council Offices 250 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706 RSVP here by Noon on September 16, 2013

As an employer you may be scrambling to decide how to respond to impending 2014 ACA health care reforms and update plan documents, communications, processes and procedures to meet current ACA and other health plan rules. These already daunting tasks are made more challenging by the continuing uncertainty of the constantly evolving regulations, evolving marketplace, increases in health plan costs and ever-shrinking budgets. Join us as we share answers about: • A Practical Explanation of How New Code Section 4980H’s Employer “Pay Or Play Rules” and Expanded Health Plan Non-Discrimination Rules Work • An Update On Federal Rules Impacting Wellness Program Design & Use Overview • Other Key Rule Changes • Steps Health Plan & Business Leaders Should Take In Response • Tips On What To Watch For And Options For Maintaining Flexibility To Respond To Evolving Rules; and • Significant Time to Answer Your Questions About Health Care Reform Cynthia Marcotte Stamer is a Dallas-based attorney who has spent more than 25 years helping private and public employers and health and employee benefit planners develop, implement, administer and defend creative, legally compliant and operationally effective health plans and policies. Ms. Stamer is: * Past Chair of the ABA Health Law Section Managed Care & Insurance Interest Group * Immediate Past Chair of the ABA’s RPTE Employee Benefit & Compensation Committee * Marketing Committee Chair of the ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits * Vice Chair of the ABA Tort & Insurance Practice Section Employee Benefits Committee * Current Vice-Chair of the Gulf States TEGE Council – Exempt Organizations Group Cynthia’s Texas CEO Magazine article, “Benefit Plan Triage: 12 STEPS EVERY EMPLOYER WITH A HEALTH PLAN SHOULD DO NOW,” was one of the Top 10 most-read articles of 2012. Event Sponsored by: McGriff, Seibels & Williams

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Invites Members and Guests to Our Next Group Luncheon HIPAA/HITECH Act: OCR Speaks Featuring Veniecy Nwigwe, JD, MSA Office of Civil Rights Senior Privacy/Breach/Security Investigator Cecillia Velastegui Office of Civil Rights Senior Privacy/Breach/Security Investigator HHS/OCR Tuesday, June 18, 2013 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dallas Ft. Worth Hospital Council Offices 250 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706

EMPLOYER &OTHER GROUP HEALTH PLAN SPONSORS, INSURERS, ADMINISTRATORS, BROKERS, ADVISORS & CONSULTANTS TO A VIRTUAL BRIEFING ON Making Wellness Programs Work Under New Tri-Agency Final Wellness Regulations Tuesday, June 4, 2013 1:00 P.M.-2:00 P.M. Eastern | 12:00 P.M.-1:00 P.M. Central 11:00 A.M-12:00 P.M. Mountain | 10 A.M-11:00 A.M. Pacific Solutions Law Press, Inc. invites employer and other employment-based group health plan sponsors, fiduciaries insurers, administrators, brokers, consultants and others to learn the key details of new Final Wellness Program regulations jointly published May 29, 2013 by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury (collectively the ¡§Agencies¡¨) by participating in an informative and timely virtual briefing on ¡§Making Wellness Programs Work Under New Final Tri-Agency Regulations¡¨ on June 4, 2013. New final wellness program regulations tell employers and insurers how to design health risk assessment and other wellness and disease management tools in their group health plans and policies to incentivize and reward employees and other plan members to better manage their health and help manage health plan costs without violating the HIPAA Portability Rules against group health plan discrimination in premiums or eligibility based on health status. Participants in this briefing will learn key information about: „Y The final wellness program regulation¡¦s requirements for designing HRA and other group health plan wellness and disease management programs that avoid violating HIPAA¡¦s prohibition against discrimination based on health factors as ¡§bona fide wellness programs;¡¨ „Y How group health plans can take advantage of the option allowed beginning in 2014 to offer greater incentives to plan members to participate in group health plan wellness programs by amendments made under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; „Y How new Omnibus HIPAA Privacy Rules may require group health plans and insurers to update their marketing and other privacy policies, procedures, documentation, vendor agreements and other practices for collecting, using, disclosing and safeguarding ¡§personal health information¡¨ and ¡§genetic health information¡¨ when administering wellness programs and other group health plan provisions; „Y When the EEOC views wellness programs incentives as potentially violating the Americans With Disabilities Act discrimination exposures under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission¡¦s (EEOC¡¦s) current interpretation of the employment discrimination rules of Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and GINA; and „Y Other tips for designing legally compliant, effective group health plan disease management and wellness programs. Ms. Stamer also will take questions from virtual audience participants as time permits.

Healthcare HITECH Privacy and Security Summit In Conjunction with The Fifth Annual Information Security Summit The Growing Cyber Threat: Protect Your Business event will bring together leaders in Privacy and Security within government and private industry for a day of collaboration, networking and presentations by leading Privacy and Security professionals. You will learn from experts what you need to know to comply with new HITECH rules and OCR investigations.

What the Wind Blew In: Coping with Health Care Reform: 2013 and Beyond

Overview of HIPAA/HITECH Act: Omnibus Final Rule

Best Practices For Conflict of Interest Management

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will share her insights on health and welfare benefit challenges for multinational employers as one of the featured panelists on the “Foreign Transferees: Outbound, Inbound, Equity And Treaty Issues” Teleconference hosted by the American Bar Association Joint Committee on Employee Benefits on March 13, 2013 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. Central Time. • Intended to help broad-based U.S. and European community benefits attorneys and others seeking to understand common and unique issues associated with employee transferees, granting of equity compensation and associated treaty issues, including: • Basic issues associated with transfers including granting of past service credits, vesting and distribution issues • Case studies involving employee transfers between the U.S. and the UK. • Use of international deferred compensation programs. • Unique health and welfare issues associated with international transfers. • Interesting/Global equity issues to avoid. The discussion with be moderated by Elizabeth Drigotas, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Washington, DC and will feature a diverse and highly experienced panel of government and private speakers including: • M. Grace Fleeman, Senior Technical Reviewer, Branch 1, (Associate Chief Counsel International)), Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC (invited) • Andrew C. Liazos, McDermott Will & Emery, Boston, MA • Matthew Preston, Clifford Chance, London, UK • Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, PC, Addison, TX. To register or for additional information, see here.

ASSESSING NEW ALTERNATIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES: Defined Contribution and Exchanges — What are the Long-Term Implications on Your Human Capital Strategy?

CHNAs, 501(r), Governance & Other Tax Challenges Facing Exempt Organizations

1/15 NTHCPA Meeting Features Alice King on trends & challenges in physician compensation

OCR publishes HIPAA De-identification Guidance. Register now to participate in 12/12 HIPAA Update Workshop to get briefed on De-Identification Guidance and other HIPAA and Texas HIPAA regulatory and enforcement updates!

Solutions Law Press, Inc. invites employer and other group health plan sponsors, fiduciaries, administrators, insurers, brokers and consultants and others involved in the design and administration of employment-based group health plans to take part in a complimentary Health Care Executive Study Group internet briefing on new and proposed guidance interpreting audit pre-existing condition limitation, wellness and disease management and essential health benefit rules of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) published by Departments of Labor and Health & Human Services on November 20, 2012 to be conducted by attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer.

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Invites Members and Guests to A Special Thanksgiving Week Study Group Luncheon “After November-Lame Duck Sequestration Implications For Health Care” Featuring W. Stephen Love Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council President and CEO Tuesday, November 20, 2012 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dallas Ft Worth Hospital Council Offices 250 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706 RSVP here by Noon on November 16, 2012 Complimentary Thanksgiving Holiday Week Luncheon Underwritten By Register Early As Space Is Limited For This Special Event Stay In Touch. Check Out Our New Newsletter, the NTHCPA News, here North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association (NTHCPA) invites members and other interested health pliance professionals to join us on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for a special Thanksgiving Wy Group Luncheon featuring W. Steve Love, President and CEO of the DFW Hospital Council, speaking on “Health Cr November-Lame Duck Sequestration Implications For Health Care.” the 2012 election over, health industry organizations face budgetary and regulatory uncertainty as the lame duck Congress decher to deal with the very serious financial cliff impacting the federal budget with sequestration or other alternatives. With heand the defense on the budgetary block, Mr. Love will share his insights and prognostications on the impending budget crisisCongresses’ decisions about budget controls and the federal deficit going forward are likely to impact Medicare and other fedh care programs, defense and other key programs. nticipation of the upcoming holiday season and celebration of the end of another successful year of meetings, the Novemheon also will feature a special complimentary luncheon underwritten by ID Experts. Registration & Agenda meeting scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on November 20, 2012 at the offices of the Dallas Ft Worth Hospital Council, er Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706 will feature a special complimentary luncheon underwritten by ID Experts. Networking h service will begin at 11:30. Our program will begin at Noon. e is no charge to participate in the meeting. However space is limited and available only on a first come, first serve basis. re your spot and help us to arrange for adequate space and refreshments for this meeting, RSVP here by Noonon November. A complimentary light lunch will be provided for those who timely R.S.V.P. Walk in guests will be accommodated on a spable basis only. About W. Steve Love dent and CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, W. Stephen Love is widely recognized for Mark Your Calendars & Save The Date NTHCPA has an exciting series of future programs planned for upcoming months. Mark your calendars and save the datcipate in these upcoming NTHCPA Meetings and programs: December 18, 2012 No Study Group Meeting In Celebration of The Holiday Season January 15, 2013 Alice L. King National Practice Leader Physician Compensation and Alignment. Towers Watson Physician Compensation Compliance Risks & Performance Management Tools February 19, 2013 Nancy Z. Evetts Mid-America Region Leader, Not-For Profit Tax, Deloitte Tax LLP CHNAs, 501(r)(9), Governance & Other Tax Challenges Facing Exempt Organizations se email here if you would like to be the hosting sponsor or help plan our next NTHCPA social, an upcoming luncheon or ot. About the NTHCPA CPA exists to champion ethical practice and compliance standards and to provide the necessary resources for ethics pliance Professionals and others in North Texas who share these principles. The vision of NTHCPA is to be a pre-emipliance and ethics group promoting lasting success and integrity of organizations within North Texas. ld you or someone you know like to join the NTHCPA, get notice of upcoming meetings or events and network on releessional developments with other health care professionals? Stay on top of information about upcoming meetings and share gue with other NTHCPA members about health care compliance challenges and developments by participating in our meetingsts, joining our Linked In Group here and checking out the NTHCPA News here. To be added to our invitation list, we urage interested persons to make sure we have your current contact information by registering for the meeting or sending y nt contact information including name, title, company, preferred mailing address, e-mail, and telephone number to Vice-Presihia Marcotte Stamer here.

Stamer Speaks About Things Plan Committees Must Do Differently In 2012 At SWBA Meeting In November Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will be among the featured panelists speaking about “The Flood of Things a Plan Committee Must Do Differently in 2012” at the Southwest Benefits Association (SWBA) 23rd Annual Employee Benefits Conference for Practitioners and Plan Sponsors scheduled for November 15-16, 2012 at the Doubletree Galleria Hotel in Dallas, Texas During “The Flood of Things a Plan Committee Must Do Differently in 2012” program, scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM on November 15, Ms. Stamer and other panelists will discuss the grow emerging challenges and responsibilities that employee benefit plan committees and other fiduciaries must deal with in 2012 such as new provider disclosures and participant disclosures about internal retirement plan fees, to new processes for handling claims and appeals arising under health plans now (and other types of plans soon), to identifying and documenting who really are the other fiduciaries of its plan, to avoiding stock drop exposure, excessive fees exposure, securities lending exposure and others.

Stamer Speaks on “PCI In the Hospital/Healthcare Setting” on 11/1 in LA Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will speak on “PCI In The Hospital/Healthcare Setting” at the Privacy and Security Forum in Los Angeles, CA on Thursday, November 1. The Forum co-sponsored by the HIMSS SoCal Chapter, along with the ISSA-LA, ISACA-LA, ISC2-LA, & OWASP will be held at the to be held at the Center For Healthy Community in Los Angeles, CA on November 1, 2012 from 7:30AM - 1:30PM. Ms. Stamer’s and co-panelist will discuss the diverse risks, responsibilities and challenges that health care providers, retailers and vendors and consumers face in handling, using and protecting payment card data and information (PCI) used or disclosed in hospital and other health care settings. Ms. Stamer has more than 25 years experience advising and assisting health care providers, health plans, health care technology, their business associates and other health industry clients about privacy and data security, investigations and enforcement, and other compliance, public policy, regulatory, staffing, and other operations and risk management concerns.

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Invites Members and Guests to Our Next Study Group Luncheon “Health Care Compliance Spooks & Goblins” A Participatory Roundtable Discussion Facilitated By Erma Lee JPS Health Network District Compliance Officer/ NTPCA President Tuesday, October 16, 2012 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

With the initial debate about the Constitutionality of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) now decided, employer and other health plan sponsors, insurers, fiduciaries and administrators are rushing to finish updating plan documents, communications, processes and procedures to meet current and impending ACA and other federal plan mandates while keeping a close eye out for more changes on the horizon. To help health plan sponsors, fiduciaries, administrators and insurers deal with the tough business of implementation, attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will: • Share Her Practical 12-Step Process For Helping Employers Dealing With Today Health Plan Compliance Challenges • Share Key Updates and Tips For Dealing With New Summary of Benefits & Communications (SBC), Claims and Appeals, & Other Mandates • Share What To Watch For And Options For Maintaining Flexibility To Respond To Evolving Rules • Answer Common Questions That Health Plan Sponsors and Administrators Are Struggling With Submitted By Audience Members Registrants are encouraged to help shape the program to reflect their questions and concerns by e-mailing their proposed questions prior to the program to cstamer@solutionslawyer.net.

North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professional Association (NTHCPA) invites members and other interested health care compliance professionals to joining us as trial attorney Martin Merritt discusses “Practical Considerations In Defending Against Health Care Fraud & Abuse Actions” on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Networking and registration begin at 11:30. Program will begin at Noon.

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will discuss recent HIPAA and other medical privacy developments impacting group health plans at a joint “Employee Benefits Welfare Benefits Design, EEOC and FMLA Update X “ session scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on September 14, 2012 at the American Bar Association jointly hosted by the Subcommittees on Welfare Plan Design, EEOC, FMLA and Leaves Issues (TX) and Cafeteria Plans and Reimbursement Accounts and Subcommittee on Welfare Plans at the American Bar Association Section of Taxation and Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law, Trust & Estate Division (RPTE) 2012 Joint Fall CLE Meeting In Boston.

Get a 2012/2013 Health Plan Communications Checkup! Learn Latest About What Your Health Plan, Its Sponsors, Administrators, Fiduciaries & Service Providers Must Do To Meet Federal Health Plan Notice & Communication Mandates Such As New Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) Summary of Benefits & Communications (SBC) & Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate, ACA & ERISA External Review & Other Claims & Appeals, HIPAA Privacy & Other Notice Mandates; & What the Supreme Court’s Decision In Cigna vs. Amara and Other Evolving Court Precedent & Federal Rules Show Health Plans & Their Fiduciaries, Sponsors, Administrators, Brokers & Advisors Should Do To Manage Liabilities & Costs & Promote Plan Design Enforceability & Effectiveness. The ACA health care reform law adds a host of new and complicated SBC, cultural and linguistically appropriate, claims and appeals notification and other communication mandates to the lengthy list of plan notice and communication that Federal law dictates health plans, their employer and other sponsors, insurers fiduciaries and administrators to deliver. Current guidance sets the first day of the first enrollment period that begins after September 22, 2012 as the deadline for health plans and insurers to begin delivering the ACA-required SBC to participants and beneficiaries enrolling or re-enrolling in coverage. The Supreme Court’s June 28, 2012 National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius decision rejecting constitutional challenges to the ACA health care reform law means most health plans, their employer and other sponsors, fiduciaries and administrators, and insurers must rush to prepare and deliver on time the SBCs by this deadline and make other necessary updates to their health plan documents, summary plan descriptions and other communications, administrative procedures and contracts, reporting and other arrangements to meet the requirements of ACA that have, or by year end will, take effect pending the full rollout of the law in 2014. Solutions Law Press, Inc. invites you to catch up on the latest requirements and guidelines impacting employer and union sponsored group health plans under ACA and other federal health plan regulations by participating in “Health Plan Communications Bootcamp: SBCs, SPDs & Beyond” on Tuesday, August 28, 2012. Participants may choose to attend the live briefing in Addison, Texas or participate via WebEx for a registration fee of $125.00. Texas Department of Insurance Continuing Education Credit and other professional certification credit may be requested by qualifying participant for an added charge. Catch Up On ACA & Other Federal Health Plan Notice & Other Communication Requirements Health plan communications always have played a critical role in managing health plan costs and liabilities. Growing reliance upon consumer-directed health care strategies makes effective health plan communication elevates the criticality of effective communication. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Cigna vs. Amara decision makes clear that sloppy summary plan descriptions and other health plan communications undermine plan design enforceability and administrative decisions and may expose health plans, their sponsors, insurers, administrators and fiduciaries expose themselves to significant added costs and liabilities. New ACA notice mandates further fueling these risks by providing that missteps in claims and appeals notifications by nongrandfathered plans may allow claimants to skip over plan claims and appeals procedures and bring lawsuits to recover benefits and penalties from noncompliant plans and their administrators. “Health Plan Communications Bootcamp: SBCs, SPDs & Beyond” will cover the latest guidance on Affordable Care Act and other federal health plan regulatory changes impacting employment-based group health plans and other key information employer and other group health plan sponsors, group health plans, insurers, plan administrators, fiduciaries, brokers and advisors and others working with these plans need to understand and cope with 2012-2013 ACA and other health plan notice and communication requirements and associated rulings including: New ACA Summary of Benefits And Communications & ACA Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Mandates ACA & ERISA External & Internal Review, ERISA Claims & Appeals, & Other Federal Claim Handling Requirements: What rules apply to which plans? What to do to minimize the impact of changing requirements? ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, GINA, FMLA, Military Leave, Michelle’s Law, Women’s Health, & Other Federal Eligibility & Benefit Notice Requirements ERISA Fiduciary Responsibility, Reporting & Disclosure & Other Rules Latest Labor Department Rules For Using Electronic Communications To Deliver Required Plan Communications & Notices Plan Communication Strategies To Support Effectiveness & Legal Defensibility Of Wellness, Consumer Driven Health Plan, Defined Contribution Health Plan & Other Special Plan Designs Tips To Help Review & Update Plans, Communications, Vendor Agreements & Processes To Support Compliance, Promote Plan Effectiveness & Minimize Risks More

HIPAA Update Workshop

Dallas-based attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will be a featured panelist sharing insights about “Where ERISA Intersects with Other Areas of the Law” at the American Bar Association (ABA) Annual Meeting in Chicago on August 4, 2012 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Non-ERISA practitioners and ERISA gurus alike need a road map for negotiating the complex interrelationship between employee benefits and a myriad of other substantive laws that commonly impact their clients. A panel of experts will discuss the recent developments and the interconnectivity between ERISA and corporate and securities health care, compensation and employment, privacy, family, worker classification bankruptcy and various substantive law. During this August 4 program, Ms. Stamer and fellow attorneys David N. Levine and Martha N. Steinman will share an in-depth analysis of key components of recently released and soon-to-be-released Department of Labor, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Health and Human Services and various other agencies employee-benefit related regulations dealing with some of the most pressing issues facing employees and companies and those working with employee benefit plans. For more details about this and other Annual Meeting programs or to register for the Annual Meeting, see here.

Claims & Appeals Bootcamp July

Coping With Health Care Reform: 2012 Health Plan Update

Compliance programs and practices about physician agreements and relationships are the keys to lowering the risk an institution faces when partnering with physicians. As physician management remains a high priority for health care organizations generally, special Medicare and other preferences and incentives created for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have many hospitals and other health care organizations considering or rushing toward establishment or participation in ACOs. While the operation of a well-designed, legally compliant ACO could offer some health care organizations and providers attractive new opportunities for collaboration, ACOs or a particular ACO opportunity that may fit some health care organizations providers may not be a good fit for others. Furthermore, the ability of a health care organization and its providers to realize the anticipated benefits of an ACO or other physician incentive programs depends requires that the ACO sponsor and its participating providers understand and successfully negotiate the many legal, political, technical, and operational challenges. About John Anthony, J.D John Anthony, JD, Compliance Officer and Physician Contract Manager at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital will share some of the key compliance and operational challenges and strategies for motivating and managing physician performance. His discussion will include the role of compliance officers in the development of the ACO (Accountable Care Organizations), ACM (Accountable Clinical Management) and other physician relationship driven models, as well as the various traps and opportunities. RSVP & Register For Invites & Updates The June 17, 2012 meeting will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the offices of the Dallas Ft Worth Hospital Council, 250 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706. There is no charge to participate in the meeting. To help us to arrange for adequate space and refreshments for this meeting, however, advance registration is required. RSVP here by Noon on June 16, 2012. A complimentary light lunch will be provided for those who timely R.S.V.P. Walk in guests will be accommodated on a space-available basis. About the NTHCPA & Involvement NTHCPA exists to champion ethical practice and compliance standards and to provide the necessary resources for ethics and compliance Professionals and others in North Texas who share these principles. The vision of NTHCPA is to be a pre-eminent compliance and ethics group promoting lasting success and integrity of organizations within North Texas. Would you or someone you know like to join the NTHCPA or get notice of upcoming meetings or events? Stay on top of information about upcoming meetings and share and dialogue with other NTHCPA members about health care compliance challenges and developments by joining our Linked In Group here and checking out the NTHCPA News here. Interested persons also are encouraged to make sure we have your current contact information by sending an e-mail with the subject “NTHCPA Membership” containing your current contact information including name, title, company, preferred mailing address, e-mail, and telephone number to Vice-President Cynthia Marcotte Stamer here. Please feel free to share this invitation with others who may be interested. Meeting Sponsorship, Volunteering & Other Opportunities For Involvement Would you like to get more involved? We encourage persons interested in serving on the steering committee, sponsoring refreshments for an upcoming meeting, interested in presenting or suggesting topics or speakers, or seeking more information about membership or involvement with the NTHCPA to contact NTHCPA President Erma Lee at (817) 927-1232 or by e-mail here or Vice-President Cynthia Marcotte Stamer at (469) 767-8872 or by e-mail here. This communication may be considered a marketing communication for certain purposes. If you prefer not to receive future e-mail concerning meetings or other activities of the North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association or other marketing and promotional mailings from it, please send an email with “NTHCPA unsubscribe” in its subject heading here. Please share this invitation with others who might be interested in this topic or other NTHCPA events

The Aftershocks of the Supreme Court's Ruling on the PPACA TIPS Hot Topic Webinar

NTHCPA invites members and other interested health industry compliance professionals to save the date and register now to attend the June 19, 2012 meeting on “HIPAA Update: New Rules, New Enforcement” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. With final HITECH Act regulations expected to be released in June, 2012, new enforcement patterns emerging, and high-dollar sanctions increasingly common, health care compliance professionals and their organizations face new imperatives to update and tighten their organizations’ compliance with the privacy, security and breach notification requirements of the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA”). NTHCPA Vice President and attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will share insights from recent meetings with and guidance from OCR and lead a discussion among participants about key challenges and possible risk management and compliance strategies.

Stamer To Speak At HFMA On Making Gain Sharing Work

Health Plan communications are key to managing health plan costs and liabilities while helping plan members appropriately value and use health benefits. Consumer-directed health plan strategies require effective communications to work. Health plans, their employer, insurer and other sponsors, administrators, vendors and brokers must meet these operational needs while managing responsibilities and rules under ever-expanding duties and liabilities created by federal and state eligibility, mandated benefits, fiduciary responsibility, privacy, claims and appeals, reporting and disclosure and other regulations. Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, a consulting attorney nationally recognized for her health benefit plan work and knowledge, will help you understand and prepare your health plans to meet these other health plan communications and disclosure requirements while promoting cost and other operational goals.

RSVP Now For April 17 Program On ZPIC, OIG, RAC, EMTALA and OCR Risk Management On New Meeting Date

2.15.2012 North Texas Health Care Compliance Professionals Meeting

North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professional Association (NTHCPA) invites members and other interested health care compliance professionals to join other NTHCPA members and guests hear the experiences and insights of Eddie Reeves, Parkland Health and Hospital System Board Member and head of Reeves Strategy Group on “Managing The Message: Effective Crisis & Other Communications For Compliance Leaders In Good Times & Bad” on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Effective management of crisis and other compliance communications with board and other management, staff, regulators, patients and others is critical to promoting the effectiveness and defensibility of compliance issues and the mitigation of the legal, political and other operational consequences of a compliance or other operational event. As a member of the Parkland Board of Managers and head Reeves Strategy Group, Eddie Reeves knows first hand how communications can make or break efforts to prevent or manage compliance or other crisis. Newly appointed to the Parkland Board of Managers in 2010, Mr. Reeves has drawn upon his extensive experience helping companies and not-for-profits, political leaders, and others develop and manage sensitive internal and external crisis and other communications to help Parkland respond to the highly publicized compliance and operational challenges it faced during 2010. Mr. Reeves has a lengthy and impressive resume of helping high profile companies and leaders to manage sensitive communications. As the head of the strategic communications consultancy, Reeves Strategy Group, Mr. Reeves helps companies and not-for-profits develop, execute and assess integrated communications and marketing. Before founding Reeves Strategy Group, Mr. Reeves co-led the media relations practice of Public Strategies, Inc., where he built marketing and communications departments from the ground up, successfully managed major crisis engagements and advised heads of corporations. Previously, Mr. Reeves served as Vice President, Media Relations at Merrill Lynch. He also served as press secretary and legislative assistant to Congressman J.J. ”Jake” Pickle, serving as chief policy adviser on health reform, working with the staffs of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and The White House, as well as with industry groups such as the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the Health Insurance Association of America. He has also served as Press Secretary to former Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire, as a senior legislative assistant in the Texas Legislature, as an award-winning columnist for the Austin American-Statesman and as a key advisor and strategist to several successful political campaigns. In addition to his volunteer service on the Parkland Board, Reeves serves on the boards of the East Dallas Community Schools, the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic and Workforce Solutions for Dallas County. He has also served on the boards of the Austin Housing Authority and the Central Texas March of Dimes. NTHCPA meetings are open to all NTHCPA members and other interested health care compliance professionals. Participation in the meeting is complimentary. Participants are responsible for any parking charges incurred. RSVP & Register For Invites & Updates The meeting will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on January 18, 2012 at the offices of the Dallas Ft Worth Hospital Council, 250 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706. To help us to notify you about upcoming meetings and to arrange for adequate space for this and other meetings, interested persons are encouraged to forward their current contact information including e-mail to Vice-President Cynthia Marcotte Stamer at (469) 767-8872 or by e-mail here by 5:00 p.m. on January 17, 2012. Stay on top of information about upcoming meetings and share and dialogue with other NTHCPA members about health care compliance challenges and developments by joining our Linked In Group here. Please feel free to share this invitation with others who may be interested. About the NTHCPA & Involvement NTHCPA exists to champion ethical practice and compliance standards and to provide the necessary resources for ethics and compliance Professionals and others in North Texas who share these principles. The vision of NTHCPA is to be a pre-eminent compliance and ethics group promoting lasting success and integrity of organizations within North Texas. To register or update your registration or to receive notice of future meetings, e-mail here. Would you like to get more involved? We encourage persons interested in serving on the steering committee, sponsoring refreshments for an upcoming meeting, wish to suggesting topics or speakers, or seeking more information about membership or involvement with the NTHCPA to contact: NTHCPA President Erma Lee at (817) 927-1232 or by e-mail here or Vice-President Cynthia Marcotte Stamer at (469) 767-8872 or by e-mail here This communication may be considered a marketing communication for certain purposes. If you wish to update your e-mail for purposes of or would prefer not to receive future e-mail concerning meetings or other activities of the North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association or other marketing and promotional mailings from it, please send an email with the word “unsubscribe” in its subject heading here.

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, PC, Addison, TX Speakers: Peter Mierko, Pearl Meyer & Partners, New York, NY Tara Silver Malyska, Grant Thornton, Dallas, TX Charmaine L. Slack, Jones Day, New York, NY Michael A. Tilghman, II, Bailey & Ehrenberg PLLC, Washington, DC Well-designed severance and other pay on separation arrangements and agreements can play critical roles in recruiting and retaining key executives and other employees and help settle exposures from terminating employees. To realize these benefits, however, companies seeking to use these tools and their counsel must negotiate a complicated web of increasingly complex legal, financial and political traps. This experienced panel of experts will explore evolving legal requirements, highlight common challenges and traps, and share practical tips for designing, negotiating and executing severance pay plans, separation agreements and other termination pay arrangements including: •Current market data and trends on severance amounts, designs and practices for executives and nonexecutives •IRC 409A, 280G and 4999 and other tax traps and tricks impacting severance pay design and payment •ERISA applicability and implications to severance arrangements •COBRA, 105(h) and other issues impacting negotiation of health and other welfare benefit rights on termination •ADEA and other requirements for securing enforceable waivers •Corporate, ERISA and other fiduciary responsibility traps for the unwary •Compensation committee approval and independence requirements •Say on pay and other common shareholder and corporate challenges impacting executive severance arrangements •Avoiding the Hewlett Packard "No" shareholder vote •Due diligence, problem solving and strategies corporate transactions and restructuring •Best practices for planning and administering executive severance near retirement, acceleration of equity vesting and option term extension as part of severance •Other practical tips and insights

“Equal Visitation: Medicare & Joint Commission Requirements, Pitfalls & Practicalities” Facilitated By Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, J.D. Wednesday, November 16, 2011 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Dallas Ft Worth Hospital Council 250 Decker Drive, Irving, TX 75062-2706 Light Complimentary Lunch Provided

Stamer Talks About Health Care Reform, ADA, FMLA & Military Leave Developments At 10/21 Joint ABA Tax and RPTE Section Meetings In Denver

Reload your compliance ghost busting skills by joining the North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professional Association (NTHCPA) on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the for a complimentary lunch and a lively round table discussion with other health care compliance professionals of risk management compliance processes, practices and other ideas for managing their organization’s health care compliance spooks and goblins. This discussion of “Health Care Compliance Spooks & Goblins: Honing Your Compliance Ghost-Busting Skills” moderated by Texas Health Resources Regional Director Compliance & Privacy Tauna Shelton, FACHE, CHC,MHSM,MS will focus on processes and other tips to help manage intractable risks and uncertainties inherent in identifying, balancing, managing and mitigating compliance amid operational, financial, time, lack of clarity, competing obligations and responsibilities, and other practical limits on your resources and controls. In celebration of Halloween, a complimentary light lunch will be provided by Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, P.C. for those who R.S.V.P. for the meeting

SMU DEDMAN SCHOOL OF LAW HEALTH LAW ASSOCIATION PRESENTS Health Law Careers Symposium September 29, 2011 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM Hillcrest Lecture Hall

As the debate over the validity and future of the sweeping health care reforms enacted under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) rages in Congress and the federal courts, employer and other health plan sponsors, insurers, fiduciaries and administrators face the daunting challenge of keeping their health plans compliant, affordable and relevant in the face of the steady rollout of the deluge of new mandates imposed by the Affordable Care Act and other evolving health plan mandates and planning for changes yet to come. A former national WEB member nationally and internationally known for her knowledge and work on health and other employee benefit matters and engaging and informative presentations, attorney, author and policy advocate Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will help you prepare your plan and organization to cope with these and other challenges of understanding and coping with health care reform. Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) RPPT Employee Benefits & Other Compensation Arrangements, an ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits Council Representative, incoming ABA TIPS Employee Benefit Plan Committee Vice Chair, former ABA Health Law Section Managed Care & Insurance Interest Group Chair, past Southwest Benefits Association Board Member, Employee Benefit News Editorial Advisory Board Member, and a widely published speaker and author, Ms. Stamer has more than 24 years experience advising businesses, plans, fiduciaries, insurers and governments on health care, retirement, employment, insurance, :and tax program design, administration, defense and policy. Her experience includes extensive involvement in advising and representing these and other clients on ACA and other health care legislation, regulation, enforcement and administration. Widely published on health benefit and other related matters, Ms. Stamer’s insights and articles have been published by the Bureau of National Affairs, Aspen Publishers, Business Insurance, Employee Benefit News, the Wall Street Journal, the American Bar Association, Aspen Publishers, World At Work, Spencer Publications, SHRM, the International Foundation, Solutions Law Press and many others. Ms. Stamer’s presentation will focus on key health care reform information that can help employers and other plan sponsors, insurers, fiduciaries, insurers, administrators and advisors understand and cope with the effects and responsibilities of health care reform including: • Updating you on the status of litigation challenging the ACA health care reforms in the courts; • Updating you on the key developments affecting health care regulatory reforms likely to impact your health plan; • Sharing an updated roadmap of the currently scheduled implementation of key future health benefit reforms enacted under ACA; • Sharing selected tips and strategies for managing compliance and other risks and deal with uncertainties arising as health care reform continues to evolve; and • Audience questions and discussion of questions and ideas.

The employee benefits world is exploding with existing and new reporting requirements, so much so that Employee Benefits advisors can barely keep up. This 90-minute program starts off with a big-picture overview and drills down quickly to the issues of the day regarding reporting and disclosure. No longer are disclosures primarily limited to private employer, ERISA sponsored plans, but of recent include church plans and governmental entities on both the pension and health benefits side. While DOL, IRS, PBGC, and HHS pronouncements that touch on this area are addressed in general, the panel attempts to identify a number of potholes and a few landmines that may catch your client off guard. A few examples of areas covered are: Recent developments in Form 5500 Schedule C reporting Often-overlooked SEC reporting and disclosure requirements Part 7 Requirements, including 4980B, 4980D, 4980E, and 4980G penalties and self-reporting excise taxes on Form 8928 Opt-out options available to governmental entities Impact of most recent Supreme Court decision (Cigna Corp. v. Amara) on Plan document/SPD disclosures Health benefit claims disclosures required by the most recent DOL, IRS and HHS pronouncements, including impact of grandfathering, insured vs. self-funded, vs. private, vs. non-federal government

In the face of expansive healthcare reform and shrinking budgets, it is more important than ever for health plans to arm themselves with the necessary skills and strategies to combat Fraud, Waste and Abuse! Opal Events’ Medicare Advantage Compliance Symposium will bring together industry leaders to discuss these issues, and more! This event will provide health plans with strategies for minimizing the cost of health care fraud, combating waste and eliminating abuse! Join us for both days and receive 14.1 CEUs! Click here to see our full agenda and attendee list here. Featuring a presentation from Cynthia Marcotte Stamer on “Leveraging The Law To Enhance Defensibility & Performance” Ms. Stamer’s presentation will cover practical processes and practices health plans and industry leaders can use to leverage legal rules of statutory and contract interpretation, attorney-client privilege, documentation and evidence and other legal rules and legal procedures to promote the effectiveness and defensibility of fraud and other compliance efforts, contract enforcement, workforce, provider, vendor and claims management, internal investigations and other key legal and operational practices, performance and risk management activities. The content-packed agenda for this 2-day program also features practical presentations and programs for a faculty of industry and government leaders on key Medicare Advantage legal and operational risk management including prevention, detection and management of fraud, waste, abuse and other key performance and risk drivers..

The Gulf Coast Area TEGE Council invites employee benefits and exempt organizations leaders , board members and trustees, and practitioners to catch up on key tax and other emerging regulatory and enforcement challenges from IRS, Labor Department and other industry leaders including: Conference Covers Key Employee Benefits & Exempt Organizations Topics • ERISA Fiduciary Disclosure • Welfare Plan Audits & Enforcement • Employee Benefit Plan Tax Qualification & Compliance In Mergers & Acquisitions • IRS Exempt Organization Issues Update On Exemption & PLR Application Process, 501(c)(3) Joint Ventures With For Profits, & Group Exemptions & Group Returns • Health Care Reform Regulatory Update • Exempt Organization Board Governance Regulation, Enforcement & Best Practices • EPCRS, 403(B), 457(F) Other New Developments Impacting Exempt Organization Plans Hear From Prominent Government Speakers

GULF COAST AREA TEGE COUNCIL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS & EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS ENFORCEMENT & COMPLIANCE MEETING ARE INVITED TO REGISTER FOR AN OPTIONAL PRE-EVENT NETWORKING DINNER SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2011

New federal claims and appeals requirements enacted as part of the health care reforms of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) are only one of several legal developments changing the legal landscape for the administration and enforcement of ERISA-covered health plan claims and appeals. Always challenging, legislative and regulatory reforms, Supreme Court and other emerging precedents, evolving products and practices and heightened sophistication of parties are driving the intricacy of health claims and appeals administration and litigation to new heights. Health and disability plan insurers, administrators, fiduciaries and sponsors, independent review organizations and other payer service providers, health care providers, participants and beneficiaries and the attorneys counseling and representing them need a strong understanding of the evolving claims and appeals requirements and their operation. Our experienced panel of experts will help participants update their understanding and skills for dealing with these evolving and increasingly complex rules governing ERISA-covered health claims and appeals

Overview: Join us as we endeavor to reduce risk and determine culpability by dissecting a case study in search of answers. As a team, we will investigate an event, seek out contributory factors, discuss legal theories, examine the liability landscape, and review the actual outcomes for the patient, provider, and insurance carrier. Objectives: (1) Describe liability claim trends affecting agency nursing. (2) Discuss implications for travel healthcare. (3) Discuss theories of liability unique to staffing agencies, and unique to healthcare. (4) Give an example of a coverage issue related to contractual liability. (5) List at least two ways to reduce risk. Wednesday, May 24, 2011 Time: 11:00 PDT / 1:00 CDT / 2:00 EDT Panelists: Michelle Foster Earle, ARM, President, OmniSure Consulting Group Ed Foley, CPCU, ARM, RPLU, President, The Foley Insurance Group Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Esq., Cynthia Marcotte Stamer PC

Health plans and health insurers, health care providers, healthcare clearinghouses and their business associates (covered entities) face new imperatives to tighten their Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rule compliance and risk management. Gain invaluable insights into the latest regulatory guidance and OCR’s enforcement, audit and other plans from OCR Deputy Director for Privacy Susan McAndrew. Among other things, this program will discuss:

Employee benefit attorney and author Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will share the latest guidance on the Affordable Care Act and other federal health plan regulatory changes impacting employment-based group health plans and their sponsors for plan years beginning between September 23, 2010 and September 22, 2011 with BDO Alliance Partners and guests attending the 2011 BDO Seidman Alliance Conference on May 2, 2011 in Las Vegas from2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Pacific Time

Stamer Speaks On “CPA Privacy & Identity Theft” May 2 At 2011 BDO Alliance Conference In Las Vegas

Employee benefit attorney and author Cynthia Marcotte Stamer is one of a distinguished panel of employee benefit attorneys scheduled to speak about “Welcome to the Jungle - Health Care Reform Bootcamp”at the ABA RPTE 22nd Annual Spring Symposia in Washington D.C. The Health Care Reform Bootcamp scheduled for 1:15-2:30 p.m. Eastern on April 29 is one of two programs at which Ms. Stamer is scheduled to speak during the Symposia.

Group Health and Disability Claims and Appeals: The Brave New World for Making, Administering, and Paying Claims Program

Recent criminal fraud indictments against health care plan service providers highlight the need for plan sponsors and fiduciaries to develop a strategy for combating health care plan fraud. Plan sponsors and fiduciaries - and their legal counsel - must determine “best practices” for credentialing and monitoring service providers, and responding to potential health care fraud or other misconduct by a plan sponsor, fiduciary, service provider and their employees.This program will discuss: * Embezzlement and other plan asset misuse, fraudulent multiple employer health plan product, and other selected fiduciary and service provider misconduct that health plan sponsors and fiduciaries should watch for; * ERISA core bonding and other fiduciary responsibility requirements for preventing, detecting and addressing health care fraud by health plan fiduciaries, service providers and their employees; * Other practical contracting, credentialing, monitoring, auditing and other risk management practices to minimize these exposures; * Practical problem resolution strategies for communicating with and working with the Departments of Labor and Justice in connection with the investigation and redress of known or suspected embezzlement or other health care fraud by a plan fiduciary, service provider or other member of the health plan or plan sponsor's workforce.

Stamer addresses health care and other challenges of Babyboomers and others living in place and policy and other actions that governments, communities, employers, insurers and individuals should consider to promote the ability of retired and disabled individuals and their family members to meet these challenges.

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will speak and co-moderate a policy think-tank session exploring “What Would the Retirement Benefits Delivery System Look Like if Employers Stopped Sponsoring Plans?” for the American Bar Association Joint Committee on Employee Benefits Government Invitational on March 29, 2011 in Baltimore, Md.. The Program open only to invited guests of the JCEB and other sponsoring organizations will explore the role of employers in the sponsorship and delivery of pension and other retirement savings and benefit programs in the U.S., regulatory and other disincentives to the continuation or expansion of these programs, and historical and comparative indicators of potential consequences of declining employer participation in retirement program sponsorship as well as examine practices of other countries as potential alternative retirement models for providing retirement savings or benefits in the U.S.

3.17.2011 Women Executive Networking Reception Co-Sponsored by Solutions Law Press, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer PC & Executive Women's Network, With Special Guest Bayor Healthcare Systems CNO.

Attorney Cynthia Stamer will share key legal risks and best practices for handling participant health and other personal information with employee benefit and human resources leaders and consultants at the Southwest Benefits Association (SWBA)/Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Plan Administrator Skills Workshops to be held February 11 in Oklahoma City, February 25 in Dallas, and March 4 in Houston. Register or review the full agenda for the Workshops here. “Employee benefits and other human resources departments, their vendors and consultants are entrusted with a broad range of sensitive health care and other personal information about employees, their dependents and beneficiaries,” said Stamer, a Board Certified Labor & Employment Lawyer who Chairs the American Bar Association RPTE Employee Benefits & Other Compensation Arrangements Group. “Widespread publicity about laws and identity theft or other abusive uses of employee and other data have boosted concerns of American workers and regulators about how employee personal information is used and protected. Consequently, appropriately managing and safeguarding this information is critical to manage legal liability and preserve employee trust essential to the value of the programs.” Stamer, a noted Texas-based employee benefits and employment lawyer has more than 23 years experience counseling and representing employers and other employee benefit plan sponsors, plan administrators and fiduciaries, insurers and financial services providers, third party administrators, human resources and employee benefit information technology vendors and others privacy and data security, fiduciary responsibility, plan design and administration and other compliance, risk management and operations matters. Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law and author of hundreds of publications and workshops on human resources and employee benefit matters, Stamer serves in leadership roles of employee benefits, human resources, health care and other Sections of the American Bar Association and many other organizations. Ms. Stamer works, publishes and speaks extensively on privacy and data security and other human resources, employee benefits, compensation, internal controls and related matters. She also is recognized for her publications, industry leadership, workshops and presentations on these and other human resources concerns and regularly speaks and conducts training on these matters. Her insights on these and other matters appear in the Bureau of National Affairs, Spencer Publications, the Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Business Journal, the Houston Business Journal, and many other national and local publications. For additional information about Ms. Stamer and her experience or to access other publications by Ms. Stamer see CynthiaStamer.com or contact Ms. Stamer directly at cstamer@solutionslawyer.net or (469) 767-8872.

Dallas, TX – January 23, 2011: Attorney Cynthia Stamer will share key legal risks and best practices for handling participant health and other personal information with employee benefit and human resources leaders and consultants at the Southwest Benefits Association (SWBA)/Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Plan Administrator Skills Workshops to be held February 11 in Oklahoma City, February 25 in Dallas, and March 4 in Houston. Register or review the full agenda for the Workshops here. “Employee benefits and other human resources departments, their vendors and consultants are entrusted with a broad range of sensitive health care and other personal information about employees, their dependents and beneficiaries,” said Stamer, a Board Certified Labor & Employment Lawyer who Chairs the American Bar Association RPTE Employee Benefits & Other Compensation Arrangements Group. “Widespread publicity about laws and identity theft or other abusive uses of employee and other data have boosted concerns of American workers and regulators about how employee personal information is used and protected. Consequently, appropriately managing and safeguarding this information is critical to manage legal liability and preserve employee trust essential to the value of the programs.”

Complimentary 2/7 RPTE Employee Benefits & Other Compensation Arrangements Study Group Teleconference Call Explores Emerging Health Care Reform Plan Guidance. Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Chiar of the RPTE Employee Benefits & Other Compensation Arrangements Group and Managing Partner of Cynthia Marcotte Stamer PC will be among the featured presenters.

NTHCPA invites members and other health industry compliance professionals to share their perspectives on what they see as their key health care compliance challenges for 2011 by joining in a discussion from to be facilitated by José A. Tabuena, PhyServe Physician Services, Inc. Senior Vice President of Governance and Compliance. Immediately following the meeting, NTHCPA meeting, participants are invited to enjoy a Thanksgiving Wine and Cheese Reception to be hosted by Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, P.C.

Reception Celebrating Clients and Friends With Special Guest Mark Fesen, M.D., FACP Author of “Surviving The Cancer System: An Empowering Guide To Taking Control Of Your Healthcare”

Sunrise Senior Living invites the public to learn from attorney and author Cynthia Marcotte Stamer about health care reform and learn practical tips to help senior and other patients and their caregivers plan their family’s healthcare survival plan. The program will be held on August 26, 2010 from 6:30 PM-8:00 PM at the Sunrise of Plano Center located at 4800 West Parker Road, Plano, TX 75093. During the program, Ms. Stamer will overview the impending health care reforms recently enacted by Congress and share some practical tools and information to help patients and their families, caregivers, employer and others plan for and prepare to deal with various challenges that commonly arise when caring for an elderly or ill person. For complete details and to RSVP, contact Sunrise Director of Community Relations Loretta Ressler by telephone at 972-985-9181 or by fax to 866-898-9748.

Health Plan Compliance Checkup

Speech to Dallas Bar Association Health Law Section

Solutions Law Press invites you to catch up on the latest guidance on new requirements that group health plans must meet under the Affordable Care Act and other emerging federal health plan regulations by participating in the “Affordable Care Act & Other Federal Health Plan Guidance Update” virtual briefing to be conducted by attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer on Friday, July 9, 2010 from Noon to 1:30 P.M. Central Time for a registration fee of $50.00. Affordable Care Act Requires Prompt Action By Group Health Plans & Employers The combined package of comprehensive health care reform legislation enacted by Congress this Spring through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (Public Law 111-152) (collectively referred to as the “Affordable Care Act”) will require most employers, employment-based group health plans, plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries, plan administrators and other service providers and insurers take prompt action to meet compliance deadlines and preserve other options over the next several months. Employer and other group health plan sponsors, fiduciaries, insurers and administrators must act quickly to update their health plan documents, communications and practices to comply with new federal requirements that become effective under the Affordable Care Act on the first day of the plan year beginning after September 22, 2010 and various other changes in federal health plan rules effective or scheduled to take effect during 2010 or 2011 plan years. Quick action also may be needed to claim small employer tax credits, retiree medical subsidies or other benefits.

Employers and employee benefit plans that misclassify workers run significant tax and other risks. IRS announced plans to audit 6,000 businesses and other organizations a year between 2010 and 2013 as part of its Employment Tax National Research Project. The inclusion of worker classification as one of the key issues in the IRS audits heightens the advisability for employers and employee benefit plans to review for proper classification practices. Misclassification or improper use of alternative work force arrangements can lead to substantial employment tax liabilities, employee benefit plan penalties and make-whole costs, and other tax-related enforcement risks. Listen to a discussion of the IRS Employment Tax National Research Project and IRS worker classification and alternative workforce issues and their potential implications for employers and employee benefit plans.

TPA & Other Plan Services Agreements- Managing Risks & Improving Effectiveness 2010 Great Lakes Benefits Conference Wyndham Chicago Hotel June 16-17, 2010

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will discuss “Health Care Reform’s Implications for Employers, Health Plans and Employee Benefits Practitioners” at the June 9, 2010 meeting of Houston WEB.

DFW ISCEBS May 13, 2010 Dallas, Texas

A Legal Update on Employment Law presentation by Board Certified Labor & Employment Attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer is among 5 hours of “Barnstorm 2010: Creating an Effective Leaders-Tools of the Trade” management training that the Texas Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration and Education (TSHHRAE) will be hosting for health industry human resources and other managers in five Texas cities between April 26 and April 30, 2010. Interested health industry human resources and other managers can elect to participate in TSHHRAE’s Barnstorm 2010 management training at the following dates and locations: • April 26 - Weslaco, Knapp Medical Center • April 28 - Sweetwater, Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital • April 28 - Brenham, Trinity Medical Center • April 29 - Lubbock, University Medical Center • April 30 - Odessa, Medical Center Hospital Update on Employment Law Program Highlights Ms. Stamer’s Legal Update on Employment Law Program will address: • Recent changes in FMLA, Military Leave, wage and hour, ADA & other disability, COBRA, GINA, HIPAA and other selected federal & Texas employment laws and regulations; • Rising government enforcement of EEOC, HIPAA, wage & hour, worker classification, and other laws and regulations; • Recent developments and increases in retaliation claims; • Recent cases related to supervision; and • Other selected developments impacting health industry human resources management.

5th Annual Fraud Conference

Harris County Medical Society Council of Chiefs of Staff

Privacy & Information Security: Managing Your Accounting Practice’s Liabilities & Counseling Your Clients

Single Employer Defined Benefit Plan - Funding and Benefit Restriction Notice Requirements: The New IRS Final Regulations

A WEB CONFERENCE FROM HCCA Health Information Security & Data Breach Under HITECH Act September 17, 2009 | 12:00 pm CT | 90 minutes

How to Ensure That Your Organization Is In Compliance With Regulations Governing Discrimination -- What You Should Be Doing To Be Prepared for the New, Stepped Up Enforcement Actions

Sept 24 Deadline For Employer & Other Health Plans, Health Care Providers & Other HIPAA-Covered Entities & Business Associates To Comply With New HHS Health Information Data Breach Rules

Join us for an Important Dialogue On Proposed Health Care Reform With Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) & Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX)

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will moderate a June 25, 2009 teleconference on “Can Benefits Lawyers and Other Service Providers Be Sued for Malpractice for Services to ERISA Plans?” The telephone conference hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA) Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB) is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2009 from 1:00-2:00 pm Eastern Time.

Amid soaring health care costs and tightening corporate budgets, employers and other group health plan sponsors, fiduciaries and administrations now also must update their group health plan eligibility and enrollment practices to comply with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the "Stimulus Bill"), COBRA subsidy mandates, HIPAA special enrollment rule amendments and a host of other legislative changes to total rewards.

Using physician gainsharing to promote desired performances within the bounds of the law without undesirable side effects involves more than staying within the STARK exceptions and anti-kickback safe harbors. Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will discuss key strategies and processes for designing and administering legally defensible pay-for-performance and other gainsharing arrangements that promote desired outcomes in operation at the Dallas Bar Association Health Law Section meeting on on June 17, 2009.

2009 Spring Symposia, Washington DC, The ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law

April 21 ABA JCEB Subrogation Soup Teleconference

2009 HIPAA Privacy & Security Update Webinar

2009 Health Plan Update Teleconference

The Crossover Issues: Tax and Employment Law Considerations

Medical Staff Bylaws For Effective Medical Staff Management

HIPAA Enforcement How to Prepare for an Audit

American Bar Association Health Law Section 6th Annual Washington Healthcare Summit

2008 RPTE Fall Leadership Meeting

1st Annual National ERISA Fiduciary ExecSummit - New York

Who's Afraid of the OIG?

Transparency in Health Care

Healthcare Executive Networking Group Fall Social

Medical Staff Bylaw Essentials

Telemedicine & E-Prescribing Evolving Ethical, Licensing & Reimbursement Rules & Realities

TPA Contracting Tips & Strategies

Recession Readying Your Workforce & Employee Benefit Plans

Supreme Court Ruling Provides Guidance For Improving Defensibility Of ERISA Claims Decisions

Payment (Or Not) for Never Events

2008 EDS Global Healthcare Symposium

Privacy & Public Health: Real-World Scenarios And Strategies

2008 Employment Law Conference

2nd Annual Data Protection Summit - Your Most Intimate Secrets Exposed! The Human Factor in Security Breaches

Stamer and Other Panelists Discuss New Medicare and Private Payer Policies Concerning The Payment of Benefits For Preventable Complications and Other "Never Events" at 9th Annual Conference on Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law

Getting Paid without Getting Nailed

Update On Employment Rights Of Employees In The Military & Their Family

Hot Topics and Emerging Issues in Health Care Compliance

Health Plan Communications: Maximizing The Bang For Your Benefits Buck While Managing Legal Risks

“Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘N Roll: A Survival Toolkit for When Private Lives Affect Performance”

Health Care Opportunities In Mexico Presentation At U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Binational Meeting & Awards Gala Dinner

Healthcare Executive Networking Group Fall Social

Transparent PBM Contracting: Industry Practices and Managed Care Part D Plans

HCCAs Physicians Practice Compliance Conference

A Medical Group Manager’s Survival Toolkit For When Private Lives Affect Performance

Our experienced panel will examine these emerging federal and state regulatory developments and their impact on the current and future ongoing prompt pay battle between contracted providers and payers. The discussion will include an examination of various contracting, billing and claims processing, regulatory, litigation and other strategies that contracted providers and payers are deploying in these battles, and the interaction and implications of HIPAA's EDI and ERISA preemption rules on the prompt pay battle.

Legislative Updates ERISA Appeals Medicare Advantage

Medical Staff Bylaws

Physicians Survival Training

ERISA Rights and Preemption of Non-Contracted Providers’ Health Benefit Claims

This one-day seminar is designed for human resource managers, benefits administrators, payroll managers, accountants, business and office managers, and insurance professionals.

Ms. Stamer will examine common human resources and other business concerns and exposures as well as discuss technology, tools and practices that businesses and employers can use to minimize cybercrime exposures and develop an effective compliance/risk management program.

DR. RON J. ANDERSON President and CEO of Parkland Health & Hospital System will speak. Moderator: Cynthia Marcotte Stamer

Workshop on Privacy Issues In Planning For The Pendemic

A Medical Group Manager’s Survival Toolkit For When Private Lives Affect Performance

Should the U.S. pay for the healthcare of its undocumented aliens? Are all people entitled to basic healthcare?

A Medical Group Manager’s Survival Toolkit For When Private Lives Affect Performance

Should the U.S. pay for the healthcare of its undocumented aliens? Are all people entitled to basic healthcare?

In this comprehensive seminar, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, will answer common questions employers and employees face when making health care choices.

A Medical Group Manager’s Survival Toolkit For When Private Lives Affect Performance

Ms. Stamer will brief you about the latest new developments and enforcement trends affecting impacting employment based health, wellness, and health savings acc

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS AND OTHER COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS GROUP

Fine-Tuning Your Health And Welfare Plans for 2006 Teleconference

Section of Real Property Probate & Trust Law 17th Annual SYMPOSIA

TAHFA Heathcare Finance Conference

Ms. Stamer will discuss general delegation requirements, Medicare Advantage Oversight and Beneficiary Protection Guidance, Reporting Requirements and Compliance with other laws and regulations. Organizations likely to apply for Medicare Advantage contracts commonly enter into business relationships with entities that they place under contract to perform certain functions that otherwise would be the responsibility of the organization to perform, including management and provision of services. The Medicare Advantage organization retains ultimate responsibility for all services provided and terms of the contract and otherwise fulfilling all terms and conditions of its contract with CMS regardless of any relationships that the organization may have with entities, contractors, subcontractors, first-tier or downstream entities.

HIPAA Enforcement - Audio Conference

Experimental & Emerging Treatment Medical Appropriateness Competing Legal, Ethical and Practical Realities of Providers, Payers, the FDA and Patients

Claims Processing under the New World Order Presentation to 7th Annual Conference on Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law on ERISA claims, prompt pay, and other federal and state mandates affecting the administration of claims and appeals under employer health plans and health insurance plans including managed care contracts

SEC Proposes Changes to Sox Disclosure About Compensation and Related Matters

2nd Annual Private Payer Summit

Georgia Society of CPA

The New Standard of Ethical Behavior

“Managing Conflicts of Interest in Healthcare: From the Board, Medical State Employees, Vendors/Consultants and You as Counsel,” Jose Tabuena and Cynthia Marcotte Stamer. Ethics 1.00*

Operationalizing Circular 230 Compliance: A Real World Perspective

Employers are facing new state and federal cybercrime prevention mandates to secure their HR and employee benefit data. The presentation will examine technology, tools and practices that businesses and employers can minimize cybercrime exposures and to develop an effective compliance/risk management program.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Managed Care But Were Afraid to Ask

Risk Management For Brokers and Others: Data Protection, Fiduciary Responsibility, Broker Reimbursement and Beyond"

Instant Messaging Discussion Panel "Business Friend or Foe?"

Discussion of Stark, fraud & abuse, tax exemption and other health care regulatory and operational challenges to structuring, documenting and defending physician gainsharing arrangements with hospitals and other health care providerws made to 12th Annual Joint Fall Symposium of: Texas Association for Healthcare Financial Administration

Selected Federal Mandates Affecting Design and Administration of ERISA-Covered Health Plans PThe Society of Professional Benefit Administrators San Antonio Conferenceresentation To

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will speak about "Protecting & Using Patient Data In Disease Management: Opportunities, Problems, Liabilities & Prescriptions

Fine-Tuning Your Health And Welfare Plans for 2006 Teleconference

Private Payer Contract Solutions

A Process Approach To Building and Administering Effective Technology Based Risk Management and Compliance Strategies

“Dealing with HIPAA in Your Law Practice”

Catching Up With New Federal Health Plan Eligibility

Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law 2005 - 6th Annual Conference

NAFTA & CAFTA Conference 2004USA Patriot Act Requirements Presentation At NAFTA & CAFTA Conference 2004

Discussion about the SOX legislation and operational strategies for developing a rational compliance process for meeting internal controls and other mandates.

8th Annual Border Issues Conference Discussion On Cross Border Workforce Development Challenges & Opportunities, Migration Reform Proposals, Immigation Challenges and Requirements, Health and Other Benefit Issues, and Operational and Public Policy Solutions

“THE MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, IMPROVEMENT, & MODERNIZATION LAW” What’s In It (and What’s Not) For You and Your Organization and What To Do About It

What You Don’t Know About Your Health Plan Can Hurt You - Getting Ready For April 14, 2004 HIPAA Privacy Compliance Deadline and More

Employee Benefits Subcommittee Meetings—Friday, September 12th 2003 Joint Fall CLE Meeting, Sheraton Hotel, Chicago

SPECIAL HIPAA SEMINAR - HIPAA Privacy Triage: Strategic Compliance Strategies For Health Plans

Employee Communications-Latest Buzz on Requirements, Risks and Opportunities Related to the New Health Plan Rules

911 An Emergency Preparedness Plan For Managing Your People Through a Catastrophe or Crisis

Discussion of exposures for corporations, officers, directors hr staff, plan fiduciaries and service providersw and other to liability for fiduciary responsibility during turbulant times