The Office of Inspector General recently announced the more than $5.5 million settlement of a qui tam action brought against Admera Health, LLC (Admera). In addition to the fine incurred, the legal fees typically incurred for...more
The Florida Board of Pharmacy permits pharmacies serving residents and patients at long-term care facilities (nursing homes, ALFs, homes for DD residents, etc.) as either Special Closed System Pharmacies or Community...more
5/23/2024
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Kickbacks ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drug Coverage ,
Prescription Drugs
A Florida “resident physician” is someone who has completed their internship and graduated from medical school but is not yet licensed as a Florida medical doctor or osteopathic physician and who registers with the Department...more
Medicaid providers and suppliers have likely discovered this the hard way. A provider’s or supplier’s enrollment in the Medicaid program may be insufficient to assure that their provision of a covered and medically necessary...more
The Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization represents a sea-change in Constitutional law that has already impacted our country in multiple ways. By overruling Roe v. Wade (1973)...more
8/19/2022
/ Abortion ,
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ,
EMTALA ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
New Guidance ,
Patient Access ,
Popular ,
Pregnancy ,
Reproductive Healthcare Issues ,
Roe v Wade ,
SCOTUS
For most Florida prescribers whose licenses haven’t renewed since 2019, it’s time to commence electronic prescribing. In 2019, the legislature enacted legislation that required electronic prescribing. However, this...more
Pharmacists and other providers should beware of a medical consent requirement buried in the new “Parents’ Bill of Rights” signed by Governor Desantis. The law will be codified at Fla. Statutes § 1014.06 and became effective...more
Healthcare providers have special concerns for their employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global health emergency....more
3/11/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Pharmaceutical Distribution ,
Pharmacies ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Screening Procedures ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety ,
World Health Organization
Governor Desantis recently signed House Bill 831, which will require certain healthcare practitioners to “electronically transmit prescriptions”. Unfortunately, the legislature left this term undefined, creating some...more
7/2/2019
/ Controlled Substances ,
Electronic Health Record Incentives ,
Electronic Prescribing ,
Florida ,
Health Care Providers ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine
At the close of the 2018 session, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 675, which if allowed to become law by the Governor, will help hospitals and their facilities that are under common control manage their...more
3/19/2018
/ Controlled Substances ,
Drug Distribution ,
Florida ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Hospitals ,
Pending Legislation ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescribing Authority ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Oversight
Prior to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA) only “physicians” could dispense and prescribe narcotic drugs for maintenance and detoxification treatment. CARA expanded who may prescribe for maintenance...more
1/30/2018
/ Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA) ,
DEA ,
Drug & Alcohol Abuse ,
Florida ,
Health Care Providers ,
Nurse Practitioners ,
Opioid ,
Pain Management ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Physician Assistants ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
SAMHSA
After Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida, a nursing home in South Florida lost power, and several residents of that nursing home died allegedly as the result of increased temperatures caused by the loss of air...more
1/17/2018
/ Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) ,
Disaster Preparedness ,
Elder Care ,
Emergency Generators ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Emergency Rule ,
Florida ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Hurricane Irma ,
Natural Disasters ,
Nursing Homes ,
Power Outages ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Severe Weather
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), as a whole, did not have a significant impact on pharmacy services per se. However, a complete repeal would likely impact certain areas of pharmacy services including the drug benefit for the...more
1/31/2017
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Drug Pricing ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Hospitals ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part D ,
Patients ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Repeal ,
Section 340B ,
Trump Administration
During the 2016 legislative session, Florida granted authority to both advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to prescribe controlled substances, subject to approval by their...more
The 2016 Florida Legislature enacted substantial legislation (Ch. 2016-212, Laws of Florida) to bring Florida’s Drug and Cosmetic Act (Ch. 499, Florida Statutes) in line with the federal Drug Supply Chain and Security Act...more
4/20/2016
/ Drug Distribution ,
DSCSA ,
Exemptions ,
Health Care Providers ,
Hospitals ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Publix ,
Wholesale
Pharmacies, dispensing prescribers, and certain healthcare facilities in Florida will soon have an easier time complying with controlled-substance reporting requirements. Florida established its Prescription Drug Monitoring...more
The 2013 Florida Legislative Session concluded on May 3, 2013. The following is a partial summary of healthcare-related bills that may impact your business or practice. Note that some of these bills have become law, but...more