Mintz Levin’s Health Law Practice has assembled the following overview of recent issues and developments that affect the health industry and that will continue to take center stage in 2009.

*Obama Selects Daschle to Lead Health Care Reform

*HHS Secretary Proposes Consumer Role in Health Information Technology Privacy

*HHS Advises on Application of HIPAA to Health Information Organizations: Link to referenced report: (http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/privacy/framework.html)

*OIG Asks for Proposals and Recommendations for Safe Harbors and Fraud Alerts: Link to report: (http://www.oig.hhs.gov/authorities/docs/08/121708FRNotice.pdf)

*OIG Blesses Part-time Physician Employment Arrangement: Link to Opinion: (http://www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/docs/advisoryopinions/2008/AdvOpn08-22.pdf)

*GAO Reports on MA Plans’ Profits and Costs for 2006: Link to Report:

(http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09132r.pdf)

Please see full newsletter for more information.