Contact: David Carew
(615) 661-0249, ext. 8077
dcarew@mleesmith.com

Sweeping New HIPAA Privacy Regulations to Be Explained in Nationwide Audio Conference Sponsored by M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC

BRENTWOOD, TN, February 19, 2004 — M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC will present a live nationwide audio conference entitled “HIPAA Deadline Approaches for Healthcare Plans Under $5 Million” on Thursday, February 26 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time (10 to 11:30 a.m. Central). The audio conference will help businesses nationwide meet the rapidly-approaching April 14, 2004 deadline for compliance with sweeping new privacy regulations mandated by the federal government under HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). The compliance deadline applies to millions of U.S. organizations that provide healthcare plans with less than $5 million in premiums or claims paid.

Because “HIPAA Deadline Approaches for Healthcare Plans Under $5 Million” is an audio conference (also known as tele-seminar), registrants do not leave their offices to “attend.” They simply tune in to the live 90-minute presentation via their own office speakerphone or telephone and can train as many employees as they like for one per-listening-site fee of $167. Companies register by calling KRM Information Services (which is handling registration for this event) at 800-775-7654.

By participating in the audio conference, employers, human resources professionals, and company benefits specialists will:

• Gain a clear understanding of which specific types of benefit plans and organizations are affected by the sweeping new HIPAA regulations
• Understand the exact steps organizations must take to comply with the new federal regulations
• Eliminate confusion regarding what a ‘business associate contract’ is . . . whether it is imperative to send privacy notices to employees . . . whether an organization needs a Privacy Officer . . . whether drug tests are covered under the new regulations . . . whether HR personnel still can answer claims questions or assist with claims filing . . . and much more.
• Avoid the risk of failing to comply with HIPAA privacy regulations, which would invite federal regulatory fines, criminal penalties, and lawsuits.

About the Audio Conference Speaker:
Christy Tinnes is a senior associate at Groom Law Group, Chartered in Washington, D.C. Groom Law Group is an employee benefits specialty firm that handles all aspects of ERISA and benefits issues, including tax, legislative, fiduciary, regulatory, and litigation. At Groom Law Group, Christy is involved with all aspects of health and welfare plans. She has worked extensively with the Patients' Bill of Rights legislation, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the DOL claims and SPD regulations. She also concentrates on privacy and electronic standards issues, including the HIPAA medical privacy regulations, the HIPAA administrative simplification regulations, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, and electronic notice and distributions provisions of ERISA. Complete pricing:

$167 per listening site for the audio conference
$187 for the audio conference and CD
$127 for just the CD

About M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC

Founded in 1975 by Tennessee attorney M. Lee Smith, M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC of Brentwood, Tennessee now publishes a wide variety of newsletters and other information products of interest to Tennessee human resource professionals, employers and other business people, and attorneys, including Tennessee Employment Law Letter, Employment Law Desk Book for Tennessee Employers, Tennessee Attorneys Memo, and 2004 Tennessee Attorneys Directory.

M. Lee Smith Publishers is the only company in America that publishes a state-specific employment law newsletter for all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. The company now offers a total of 130 newsletters and other information products and services for HR professionals, business executives, and attorneys, including national award-winning training videos, guidebooks, software, Internet-based research services, and state-specific and national employment law seminars, conferences, and audio conferences.

The company also offers full-service publishing and printing for other companies' newsletters.

Click here for more information about M. Lee Smith Publishers.