Website accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) is an issue of which health care providers and other health care companies should be aware. There have been lawsuits filed that include claims for website accessibility under these Acts. A number of entities, including health care…… Continue reading this entry
In response to the opioid crisis, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is cracking down on pharmacies, pharmacists, and prescribers by leveraging an old enforcement weapon: revocation of controlled substance registrations. The DEA actively revived this enforcement mechanism in February and March of 2018 when it arrested 29 people and revoked 147 controlled substance registrations throughout…… Continue reading this entry
The medical credentialing process, whether for a hospital, a hospital system or a health plan, has emerged as a potential early target for the application of blockchain technology and administration.1 It is a process that allows a secure database to be established over time and on a cumulative basis. Medical credentialing involves verifying whether a…… Continue reading this entry
In a final rule published on January 19, 2017, HHS and several federal departments and agencies made revisions to the Common Rule, the federal policy for the protection of human subjects applicable to human subject research conducted or supported by participating federal departments and agencies.[1] Compliance with the revised Common Rule is expected on January…… Continue reading this entry
The following is a wake-up call to all employers, especially those in the health care industry, that have adopted “zero tolerance policies.” These policies will increasingly butt up against the tidal wave of laws legalizing the medical and recreational use of marijuana. In a just-decided case, a federal judge in Connecticut issued a ruling in…… Continue reading this entry
Florida’s House Bill (HB) 21, enacted to help combat opioid abuse, contains several noteworthy changes to Florida law that impact the dispensing of opioids. Effective July 1, 2018, dispensing providers must consult Florida’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) prior to dispensing controlled substances to patients, and must report any controlled substances dispensed in the PDMP…… Continue reading this entry
After a prolonged period of stagnant growth primarily due to a glut of capacity coupled with flat or declining revenue growth, we’re beginning to see a resurgence of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs). In fact, experts are forecasting a significant growth spurt in the ASC industry including de novo growth. This growth is likely precipitated by…… Continue reading this entry
On April 2, 2018, CMS released the Contract Year 2019 Final Rules for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D (the MA Final Rule), incorporating changes that support CMS’ stated commitment to supporting flexibility and efficiency throughout the MA and Part D Programs. The MA Final Rule incorporates broad changes to several aspects of the MA…… Continue reading this entry
So far 2017 is proving to be an active year for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) enforcement. This comes on the heels of 2016, which saw an unprecedented level of enforcement actions, with 13 total settlements and nearly a 300 percent increase in total collected fines over 2015. To date in 2017, nine…… Continue reading this entry
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Fraud Section has published new guidance for corporate entities on corporate compliance programs. The guidance, titled, “Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs” (Compliance Program Evaluation) provides companies – and their compliance teams – with key insights into how government regulators will assess efforts taken to develop, implement and evaluate the … Continue reading this entry