What is the Open Payments Database?

The Open Payments database is a centralized platform that collects and publishes information about financial relationships between physicians and teaching hospitals on one side and applicable manufacturers and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) on the other. These financial relationships may include payments, gifts, or other transfers of value. The database, managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is part of a broader effort to promote transparency in the healthcare industry.

Patient Notification Requirement:

Under the new California law, physicians are now obligated to provide patients with written or electronic notice of the Open Payments database at their initial office visit. This notification ensures that patients are aware of the financial interactions between their healthcare providers and relevant entities. By being informed, patients can make more educated decisions about their healthcare and be aware of any potential influences on medical decisions.

Office and Website Display Requirement:

In addition to individual patient notifications, physicians are required to prominently display a notice in their offices and on their official websites. This notice serves as a general alert to all visitors, including prospective patients, about the existence and purpose of the Open Payments database. By having this information visibly accessible, healthcare providers contribute to the overall transparency of the healthcare system.

Make Sure You’re Compliant with the Open Payments Database Notification Law

California’s implementation of the Open Payments Database Notification Law represents a way to help promote transparency in healthcare payments. If you’re a medical practice in California, be sure to contact your lawyer and get their professional recommendation for what you should do to comply. If you’re an existing Practis client in California and want to update your website, submit a help desk ticket and we will get you squared away.

While patient care is, of course, always the top priority, the goals of being patient-centric and consumer-centric are not mutually exclusive. In fact, evaluating your healthcare marketing strategy and viewing your patients as consumers can often bring to light areas that may require attention in your patient experience journey.

Patient-centric and consumer-centric are terms that are often bandied about interchangeably, but in many critical ways, they are not the same. Certain key questions can help tease out the distinctions – and make all the difference in the performance of your strategy and the care you provide.

Borrowing from the classic information-gathering approach used by journalists, we’ll break it down by way of the essentials: who, what, where, when, why and how.

• WHO is the consumer? In healthcare, the consumer is not always the patient. The primary caregiver of the household may be choosing healthcare providers for the children, spouse, parents or in-laws. In this scenario, while all family members are patients, the main caregiver is actually the decision-making consumer. You can strive to ensure they all have a positive patient experience, but you cannot discount the primary caregiver as the true healthcare consumer.
• WHAT is the difference between a consumer and a patient? A consumer mindset is the key differentiator between a consumer and a patient. A patient may leave the doctor’s office smiling and simply remarking, “They were nice.” A consumer mindset, on the other hand, notices not just how nice you were but also how efficient – plus a variety of other factors like your most recent advertising and social media, patient portal experience, provider pedigree, and quality of care. Hospitals and academic medical centers in urban areas almost always have higher marketing and advertising budgets and can afford better patient portal systems. Details count when you’re facing a consumer mindset. Share your outstanding patient outcomes, and shout about your accolades and awards. Now is not the time to be humble.
• WHERE does this play out in the healthcare experience? Before they even walk through your doors, consumers do their homework. They read the reviews – of your hospital system or practice, your providers, even career experiences of your staff – all posted online. Friendliness should greet them in your waiting rooms and at the front desk. Quality of care will seal the deal in the medical offices, ED or surgery suites. Billing, aftercare, and your choice of patient portal are all relevant to the overall consumer experience in healthcare as well. And they see and react to your competitors’ advertising alongside your own. This is where patient-focused stories on experiences and outcomes with your providers and system can make an impactful impression.
• WHEN did the consumer phenomenon become a factor in healthcare? Healthcare has not always been evaluated as a product to be consumed. In fact, it’s a relatively recent development. Only in the last two decades have walk-in care, easy-to-access telehealth, and retail-like environments and services become priorities – types of features that larger, urban center hospital systems can afford. This is when strategy is essential in determining where to allocate resources with integrity and wisdom while still engaging and attracting the healthcare consumer.
• WHY does it matter? This is the simplest question with the shortest answer. It matters because consumers have choices, and they can choose your competitors. Once upon a time, proximity to care was everything, but not in today’s world. Consumers travel – sometimes driving, or even flying, for hours – to reach the healthcare they prize. In fact, in some cases, consumers have come to discount local care from small-town providers and critical access hospitals and instead value the care found in larger cities with academic medical centers and large hospital systems – with a mindset that bigger is better. Add telehealth and new market disruptors, and it’s easy to see how winning at consumerism is an increasingly critical way to compete for any healthcare organization.
• HOW does creating a positive consumer experience differ from delivering a positive patient experience? It’s no longer as simple as providing quality medical care – though patient experience still matters profoundly. If your nursing shortage has diminished your ability to provide a seamless continuum of care, for example, that piano player won’t make up for it. You have to hit all the high notes to take home the prize.

So, the key is to be the most informed and strategic player in your playing field to meet expectations. And yes, the difference almost always lies in doing more, oftentimes with less.

Understanding consumer needs and priorities is essential to consumer-centricity. Understanding these needs requires data and analytics for actionable insights. Healthcare organizations using the right metrics and accessing the right tools will have an inside track. The right data is essential to determine who your primary consumers and decision-makers are – and zero in on what they are looking for in a healthcare experience.

Unfortunately, most rural or small-town critical access hospitals do not have data analysts and healthcare marketing strategists on staff. Fortunately, we can help.

Through dhmstudio+, we bring decades of experience to rural hospitals, delivering affordable, effective, strategy-first marketing solutions to make their organizations stronger. Interested in learning more? Contact us today.

In this article, we will explore the steps you can take to protect patient privacy on your medical website and ensure that you are meeting all the necessary requirements under the Privacy Rights Act. So, let’s dive in and learn how to keep your patients’ personal information safe and secure while still providing them with the best possible online experience.

What is the Privacy Rights Act (PRA)?

The Privacy Rights Act  is a privacy law that went into effect on January 1, 2020, in California. The PRA enhances the privacy protections for California consumers by providing them with additional rights and control over their personal information. The right to limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information collected about them. In January 2023, consumers also now have the right to correct inaccurate personal information that a business has about them. 

Here are some of the key provisions of the PRA:

• Right to Know: Consumers have the right to know what personal information is being collected about them by businesses.
• Right to Delete: Consumers have the right to request that their personal information be deleted by businesses.
• Right to Opt-Out: Consumers have the right to opt-out of the sale of their personal information by businesses.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Businesses cannot discriminate against consumers who exercise their privacy rights.

These new rights are in addition to the existing privacy rights provided by the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The PRA expands on the CCPA by adding new requirements for businesses that collect and use personal information.

Who does the Privacy Rights Act apply to?

The PRA applies to any for-profit business who does business in California and collects and uses the personal information of California residents. These businesses must also meet one of the following criteria:

• Has annual gross revenues in excess of $25 million
• Buys or sells the personal information of 50,000 or more consumers, households, or devices
• Derives 50% or more of its annual revenues from selling personal information

This means that if your medical website collects personal information from California residents, you must comply with the PRA, and if your healthcare business meets any of the above criteria, you are subject to the requirements of the PRA.

How does the Privacy Rights Act impact medical websites?

The PRA has a significant impact on websites that collect and use personal information. Websites must now provide patients with the right to know what personal information is being collected about them, the right to request that their personal information be deleted, and the right to opt-out of the sale of their personal information. Websites must also provide consumers with a clear and conspicuous privacy policy that explains how their personal information is being collected, used, and shared.

Additionally, websites must obtain explicit consent from consumers before collecting their personal information. This includes obtaining consent before setting cookies, which are small pieces of data that are stored on a user’s device and used to track their online activities. Websites must also provide consumers with a way to easily opt-out of the sale of their personal information.

The PRA has several requirements that businesses must meet to be in compliance.

These requirements include:

• Providing individuals with notice of what personal information is being collected and how it will be used. This means that websites must provide consumers with a clear and conspicuous notice that cookies are being used and must obtain their consent before setting any cookies. Websites must also provide consumers with a way to easily opt-out of the use of cookies.
• Providing individuals with the right to access their personal information.
• Providing individuals with the right to request that their personal information be deleted. Websites today must provide consumers with a way to submit these requests and must respond to these requests in a timely manner
• Providing individuals with the right to opt-out of the sale of their personal information.

Additionally, you must ensure that any third-party providers you use on your website, such as a web host or analytics provider, are also in compliance with the PRA.

How to prepare your website for the Privacy Rights Act

If your website collects and uses personal information, then you need to take these 6 steps to ensure that you are compliant with the PRA.

1. Update your privacy policy to be clear and concise.  It should explain how personal information is collected, used, and shared. It should also explain the rights that individuals have under the PRA.
2. Provide opt-out options. Medical practices should provide individuals with the option to opt-out of the sale or sharing of their personal information. This means that your practice should provide a clear and easy-to-use mechanism for individuals to exercise their rights.
3. Implement security measures.  Medical practices should implement reasonable security measures to protect the personal information that they collect. This includes measures such as encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments.
4. Conduct a privacy risk assessment to identify and mitigate risks to personal information. This assessment should be conducted periodically and should be documented.
5. Train employees on the new requirements of the PRA. This includes training on how to handle personal information, how to respond to requests from individuals, and how to report data breaches.
6. Monitor compliance and update your policies and procedures as necessary. This includes monitoring for changes in the law and changes in the practices of third-party service providers. 

How to ensure patient data is secure

Ensuring that patient data is secure is crucial for protecting patient privacy. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that patient data is secure:

• Use secure forms: Use a secure form on your website that encrypts patient information when it is submitted.
• Store data securely: Ensure that any patient data you collect is stored securely and is not accessible to unauthorized individuals.
• Limit access: Limit access to patient data to only those who need it to provide medical services.
• Regularly review security measures: Regularly review your security measures to ensure that they are up to date and effective in protecting patient data.

What are the consequences of non-compliance to the Privacy Rights Act?

Failure to comply with privacy laws such as the PRA and HIPAA can result in significant fines and legal action. Additionally, non-compliance can damage your reputation and erode patient trust.

It’s important to take patient privacy seriously and ensure that you are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. This includes regularly reviewing your privacy policies and procedures to ensure that they are up to date and effective in protecting patient privacy.

Training staff on patient privacy and data protection

In addition to ensuring that your medical website is compliant with privacy laws, it’s also important to train your staff on patient privacy and data protection. This includes:

• Providing regular training: Provide regular training to your staff on patient privacy and data protection.
• Establishing policies and procedures: Establish policies and procedures for handling patient information and ensure that all staff members are trained on them.
• Limiting access: Limit access to patient information to only those who need it to provide medical services.
• Regularly reviewing policies: Regularly review your privacy policies and procedures to ensure that they are up to date and effective.

How to maintain patient privacy and trust through your medical website

Protecting patient privacy is crucial for maintaining patient trust and ensuring compliance with privacy laws. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can ensure that your medical website is compliant with the PRA and HIPAA and that patient information is kept safe and secure.

Remember to regularly review your privacy policies and procedures to ensure that they are up to date and effective in protecting patient privacy. By doing so, you can maintain patient trust and confidence in your medical services. 

If you have questions about these new rules or how to update your website to comply, please contact Practis today.

Here are the top five things we recommend as you improve your website’s accessibility.

1. Begin with the user in mind

It is important to remember that your changes will affect real people. The changes you make to your website should be more than just a checklist.

Think about the user experience. What areas of your site are most important? The Bureau of Internet Accessibility provides resources for website remediation including ongoing support and free WCAG checklists.

When you add the “alt text” to images within the code, it helps to satisfy the requirements, but it also improves the experience if someone has a vision-related disability. Your forms can be updated to be compliant, but they can also allow you to serve people with disabilities that need your services.

Starting out these changes thinking of real people will help shape your perspective as you make the necessary accommodations.

2. Consult the experts

If these changes sound overwhelming, you can get help. The Bureau of Internet Accessibility has provided a Compliance Roadmap that can walk you through the areas of your site that may need to be reworked.

They also provide most common issues to avoid, and other topics of interest.

Chances are you are not the only organization that has to do this, so it’s best to consult the experts before diving into the backend of your website.

There are free scans, webinars, checklists, and other recommendations to get you on your way. You may also consider hiring an organization or professional web programmer such as Practis if your website is cumbersome.

3. Start with what is easy

Many improvements can be quick and inexpensive. It is helpful to start with some of these, as a little bit can help improve the experience of users.

According to The Bureau of Internet Accessibility, some examples of easy accessibility improvements include:

• Adding alternative text (also called alt text) to images
• Adding captions to videos
• Changing background colors to meet WCAG’s color contrast requirements
• Adding descriptive titles and subheadings for each page
• Adding instructions to forms
• Adding appropriate labels to form controls

4. Help users access all parts of your site

One of the main concerns with web accessibility is there are entire parts of websites that are unable to be interpreted by some users.

For example, you may have a form or a portal for users, and these often go overlooked. Same with video or multimedia content. Someone with disabilities may encounter issues that are essential to your website’s functionality.

If these are complex or dynamic, you may need help in integrating them to be up to par with accessibility standards.

5. Start with high traffic pages

If you have an extensive website full of pages, this may feel like a big commitment. However, start with the pages that users use most often. You can see where traffic is based on hits or analytics. Start with those pages.

Many with disabilities use a keyboard only to navigate, so prioritize fixes on your home page that will allow for this without a mouse. You can also take a look at the template that your website uses and see if there are any fixes you can do that will impact pages across the website with a single edit.

It is also vital that someone with disabilities is able to use a contact form or access a page where he or she can reach out to gather more information.

You can do it

Most of all, don’t get overwhelmed. Start somewhere, and begin making the necessary changes. These regulations are now gaining traction, and it will help as we all make the necessary changes. As you make your website more accessible, you will be rewarded in the long run and protect yourself from unnecessary legal issues.

Need help with making your website accessible?

Reach out to Practis. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your accessibility needs and help you with your website WCAG compliance and performance.  Starting at only $65 per month, Practis offers a program that will enhance the accessibility of your website, identify issues to update and proactively monitor compliance to standards.

Instead of asking for compliance, they sue

Some say lawyers are taking advantage of businesses that don’t realize they are doing anything wrong. Instead of reaching out to the businesses and asking for compliance, they sue.

Critics call it “legal extortion,” and the numbers are on the rise.

According to UseableNet, in the end-of-the-year report, ADA digital accessibility lawsuits rose to 10 a day. In 2018, there were 2,285 ADA website lawsuits filed in federal courts across the nation, an increase of 181 percent from 2017.

Most businesses faced with this type of lawsuit settle the case for attorney fees and compliance rather than litigation. Suits have sought after big-name companies as well as small businesses.

Healthcare is a targeted industry

According to AccessiBe, accessibility compliance has also become a major incentive for lawsuits targeting the healthcare industry.

“This should come as no surprise. Many people with disabilities are coping with medical conditions that prompt them to seek healthcare providers. The sites of providers are most likely to be visited by people with disabilities, making them redundant if they are inaccessible.”

Accessibility compliance in healthcare

Under ACA’s Section 1557, most healthcare organizations are now required to address the accessibility of their digital communications.

Specifically, all healthcare organizations that receive funds from the federal government also need to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA for their websites, electronic documents, and software.

Take a closer look at your website

Healthcare groups and business owners should take a serious look at their websites and make sure that a person with visual or hearing disabilities can use their site.

Some general suggestions include:

• Content must be coded for audio translation by screen-reader software
• There must be on-screen captions in videos for screen-reader software to read to the blind and descriptions for the deaf
• Sites must include accessible drop-down menus for those who use a keyboard as an alternative to a mouse
• When images are used, add alt text to describe them
• There is good contrast

For more suggestions, take a look at what you can do to make your website more accessible.

Practis is here to help

We recommend practices make sure their websites comply with the law. At Practis, we offer a program that specializes in website accessibility and can help you out.

Under the No Surprises Act, there are instances in which patients can knowingly and voluntarily waive their balance billing protections and consent to be billed for out-of-network services. Notice and consent requirements are met if:

• The patient is provided written notice and consent 72 hours in advance of their appointment.
• Documents provided to patients must include a good faith estimate of the costs of the services to be provided.
• A list of in-network providers at the facility and information regarding medical care management, such as prior authorization are provided.

Provide notice and consent documents for balance billing of non-emergency services

Each provider is required to make publicly available, including on its website and to each patient who is enrolled in a commercial health plan, a disclosure regarding the patient protections against balance billing. Non-participating providers at participating facilities may not bill a patient more than the cost-sharing requirements or balance bill the patient unless the notice and consent requirements are met. Access to these documents should be publically available within one click from the  provider website home page.

HHS has created a model notice that providers should use. The patient must sign and date the receipt of the notice and sign and date the form consenting to out-of-network services.

• Model notice, consent and instructions

You can use the Model Notice from HHS as long as you edit it to meet your specific use case.

Consider language

The regulations require that providers provide the notice and consent in the top 15 languages spoken of the state or geographic region in which the provider is located.

Provide a good faith cost estimate

The statute also requires that a good faith estimate of the costs of services be provided to inform patients of their potential out-of-pocket costs if they continue with care from out-of-network providers. The good faith estimate should include the expected billing and diagnostic codes for items and services.

• Download a good faith estimate

List what health plans you are considered in-network for

While not a requirement of providers to post on their website, it is suggested that providers list what health plans they are in-network for. Since some plans may exclude coverage for certain services such as outpatient surgery, laboratory and diagnostic services, and specialty drug therapies, it is recommended to add a disclaimer to your site that advises patients to contact their health plan directly to confirm.

Sources

https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises

https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2020-12/no-surprises-act-summary.pdf

https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/ama-nsa-toolkit.pdf

Keep content simple and to the point

Whenever possible, use simple, clear (plain) language. When content requires a reading ability higher than an 8th grade level, you may lose your reader’s attention. Complex writing isn’t always needed and long, text-heavy paragraphs might deliver a poor user experience, limiting engagement.

Health conditions such as dyslexia, poor vision, and short-term memory may affect how users engage with and comprehend your content.

If you need to use complex terms, be sure to clearly define those terms by adding a glossary. Search engines also like to see glossaries.

Make web content scannable

Most users will scan content looking for its key points. If they’re not able to quickly find the information they’re looking for, they probably won’t go any further.

That’s also true for a person with a disability using assistive technologies such as a screen reader to navigate the web. Using HTML elements such as headings, bulleted lists, and links will allow people who utilize a screen reader to tab through headers and any clickable links.

Those same scannable elements can also be helpful for search engines who are scanning your site for indexing in search results.

A few ways to make your content more scannable are:

• Use of ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists to break up longer content. Don’t forget to use the correct type of list with proper HTML. Indented text doesn’t cut it here.
• Use descriptive headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize topics. Headings also help assistive tools work properly, are useful for breaking up content into sub-categories, and improve your site’s SEO.
• Use headings in order, starting with an H1. For example, using an H2 tag immediately after an H1.
• Keep your layout consistent. Layout provides a visual queue to users on how your content is structured throughout the site. Your content shouldn’t deviate too much from the established layout. Remember, it’s all about consistency.
• Provide visitors with different options to understand your content. Some users may connect better with images, illustrations, or video as this media provides further clarification when text alone doesn’t. Don’t forget to adequately describe these items with descriptive alt text, transcripts, and video captions.

Make link text more meaningful

Refrain from using “click here” or “learn more”. Hyperlinks and buttons should make sense when read on their own. Instead, try using the name of the page. Specifically, links:

• shouldn’t be too short
• shouldn’t be overly long
• can use site or page names
• should be descriptive of what you’re linking to

Review, test and adjust content

Before publishing your content, preview the page to see if it meets the following requirements:

• Does your content use plain language and commonly understood words?
• Is the information presented in short, concise, and readable sections?
• Is there ample use of headings, images, graphics, and lists?

In addition to identifying grammatical errors, software can assess the reading level of your content. Keep in mind that no tool works perfectly. When possible, user testing can provide you with valuable feedback from real users.

Accessible content benefits everyone

Remember, an accessible website benefits everyone, not just users with disabilities. The more accessible your web content is, the better it will connect.

Need help? Please reach out. The expert in web accessibility and WCAG compliance here at Practis can help.

Page Experience Metrics = Search Ranking Signals

Google’s algorithm will look at three different page experience metrics, or Core Web Vitals.  Monitored through Google’s Search Console, these signals factor a website’s ability to offer users the best browsing experience with optimal loading speed, responsiveness, and stability.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

LCP measures the loading time of a site’s largest visual element. Sites with poorly optimized images will likely have a high LCP. Accessible websites that use CSS for quick loading and provide text alternatives to images are less likely to depend on visual media to communicate important information.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

CLS measures unexpected shifting of webpage images, forms, buttons, fonts, while the page loads. Pages that shift around can cause a poor user experience. How does this happen? Adding images without a proper height and width label and forgetting to properly tag web fonts are examples of things that could negatively impact CLS.  With a complex website layout,  screen readers may have difficulty navigating the site. However, an accessible website that adheres to WCAG guidelines on presenting information and elements in a way that a screen reader can navigate allows for a better user experience.

First Input Delay (FID)

FID measures how long it takes for a webpage to respond to the first user interaction, such as clicking or tapping a button. Here again, is where clean page design helps. When a site’s accessibility is considered, attention to site elements can lead to improvement in load time.

Website accessibility should be part of your overall SEO strategy

When your site is properly optimized to support a user’s experience, there is a potential for your site to achieve higher Google search rankings for the keywords and topics your site is targeting. Here are a few things to implement when improving your sites accessibility:

• use clear and descriptive headings
• add tabbed navigation, a sitemap, as well as a link to “home”
• add image alt text
• optimize website pages so that they load quickly
• improve color contrast

Bottom line, improving website accessibility makes it easier for search engines to read and interpret your medical site. This trend will only grow in time as search engines pay closer attention to usability factors.

Simply said, improvements to UX can make a site less frustrating for visitors with disabilities.  Search engines recognize that and will reward you for it.

Let Practis help

Practis has unique experience in helping healthcare organizations comply with WCAG accessibility requirements. Whether you need a new site or need to update an existing one, our team is here to help. Reach out to Practis today.

Over the years at Practis, we have voiced all the important reasons to take your website’s accessibility seriously – improved performance in search engines, reduced risk of lawsuits, access by users of all types to the information they need to learn about you, your services and how you help. Still many practices find it difficult to budget for this critical component of their digital strategy. Because redesigning a website or performing ongoing testing or remediation can be cost-prohibitive to practices with smaller budgets, to incentivize small businesses, the IRS is offering a tax credit of up to $5,000 each year to offset 50% of your accessibility-related expenses.

The most cost-effective way to incorporate accessibility into your website is to make sure that the site is built to be accessible in the first place. But when that doesn’t happen, we strongly recommend budgeting for an audit program. Why? Even when a site is built to be WCAG 2.1 compliant, there are issues that pop up when new content is added and the site code is tweaked.

About the Disabled Access Tax Credit

The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, is long known for requiring businesses to ensure that their facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. Since 2017, the Department of Justice and federal courts expanded that to include websites and mobile apps. As of January 2018, under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, all healthcare providers who receive funds from the federal government are now mandated to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards for their digital properties.

This tax incentive, which is meant to subsidize accessibility initiatives, also now applies to digital accessibility efforts. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• • Updating your website or mobile app to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards
  • Captioning videos
  • Enabling stop, pause on automatic content
  • Adding meaningful descriptions to images for screen readers (alt tags)
  • Producing transcripts of recorded audio
  • Ensuring your website is free from coding errors
  • Consulting services to accomplish the above

Website accessibility initiatives easily meet these criteria when they remove errors in the code that make a practice’s website inaccessible by a patient with a disability.

Who Qualifies for the Disabled Access Tax Credit?

To be eligible for this tax credit, your practice qualifies if either of these two conditions is met:

• annual revenues of less than $1 million
• fewer than 30 full-time employees (defined as employees working 30 hours per week for at least 20 weeks out of the year)

Practis does recommend that you consult with a qualified tax professional to confirm your specific eligibility.

How Does the Tax Credit Work?

To restate, the IRS allows you to claim a 50% tax credit against your accessibility spending. For example, you hire an agency to audit and remediate your site, for which you are charged $8,000.  The credit does not start until you have spent a minimum of $250. Your credit should be calculated against $7,750. So your 50% tax credit would be $3,875. Keep in mind that the maximum credit you can claim is $5,000.  If you spend less than $10,250, your total tax credit will be less than $5,000. Above that amount, your tax credit will never exceed $5,000. Of course, be sure to check with your tax advisor.

How to Apply?

You can apply for the Disability Access Tax Credit on your business tax return by completing IRS Form 8826.

Interested in Updating or Better Managing Your Site’s Compliance With WCAG 2.1?

This tax year, if you haven’t yet considered making your web presence more accessible, it may be time to do so. Please reach out to Practis to learn more about ways we can help.

Contact Practis or learn more about our Website Accessibility Program

The content offered in this blog should not be substituted for tax advice. Please consult your own tax professional to address your specific situation.

When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990, it was obvious that technology was going to change, and it certainly has done just that. In order to accommodate those changes, provisions and amendments were made, and that’s primarily why ADA compliance is SO important on your practice’s website.

Before we completely dive in, here are two important blog articles that we have published on accessibility to help you learn a little more about what this all means:

• It’s Time to Get Serious About Making Your Website Content Accessible to the Visually Impaired
• Health Website Accessibility Compliance Deadline Set to January 18, 2018

What Is Section 508?

First and foremost, it’s important to know exactly what the rule means that you’re following for ADA compliance.

In 1998, the amendment titled Section 508 was created to require any organization that receives federal funding to make their digital properties accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. Because this applies to Medicare and Medicaid, most healthcare entities are included and thus have to abide by the guidelines.

In 2017, after being mostly unchanged for nearly 20 years, the U.S. Access Board updated accessibility requirements and created an easier-to-understand approach for those attempting to make their digital and electronic presence more accessible. One such creation was the inclusion of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to help make all websites accessible via a checklist that web developers could follow. However, just as Section 508 changed, so does WCAG. It’s important now for healthcare entities to understand that following the most updated version (2.1) is highly recommended.

Why Does It Matter to My Practice?

Now that you know what it is, you’re probably thinking about how or why it matters to your practice, and that’s a great place to start!

As we mentioned, times are changing, which means the way people interact with your practice is changing as well. In fact, think about 2020 for a bit. While your practice may have been operating in different ways, a lot of those ways involved technology or your digital presence. The adoption of telehealth, online check-ins, or updated COVID statements on your websites were all things that forced patients into interacting with your website more frequently.

If a patient is unable to access your website, not only do they become frustrated, but they may eventually give up and go to a different practice for assistance. Your website is a very crucial gateway to your practice, and must be accessible to all individuals. If it’s not, your practice is, in many ways, saying that you’re only catering to a specific group of individuals. More than 25 million people in the US alone experience disabilities that could hinder them from using your website as is, and that’s not a number you want to lose by any means.

What if I Don’t Update My Website?

For whatever reason it may be, you might be thinking that you can push this out a bit further. Or perhaps you’re thinking “what’s the worst could happen?” Either way, let’s get those thoughts out of your head and focus on getting that website updated fast.

If you don’t update your website, not only are you going to lose out on those patients, but you’re putting yourself at risk for a myriad of lawsuits, public relations nightmares, and quick, expensive fixes to your website. Instead of focusing on updating things now, you’re basically making things more costly for yourself in a number of ways.

While we cannot explicitly say what could happen to you if you do not update your website, we can tell you that there have been an increasing number of ADA lawsuits over the past few months that have caused groups to shut down their websites, lose contracts and funding, and ultimately have to salvage their reputation through costly updates. The short answer is that you shouldn’t even ask this question. If you’re looking out for the well being of your practice, go ahead and make the updates.

How Do I Know I’m Compliant?

There are a number of things that you can do to your website to get better in compliance, but the only way to accurately know that your site is meeting compliance standards is to routinely check it out via softwares that understand WCAG standards. With that said, the regulations and standards could change, which is why it’s important that this process stays ongoing. The more you update your website or have different parties touching it, the more you run the risk of losing that stamp of compliance.

In addition, we highly recommend consulting with your legal team or attorney to determine what standards of compliance you may need to meet. 

At Practis, compliance is the name of our game, so we’re here to help. Learn more about our compliance offerings and contact us today to get headed down the right path!