The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) March 21, 2024, warning letter to Agena Bioscience Inc. (Agena), a genetic diagnostic test developer, generated a lot of immediate commentary among regulatory lawyers and...more
The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) recently released a favorable advisory opinion, OIG Advisory Opinion No. 24-07 (the “Opinion”), to a nonprofit tax-exempt grant-making...more
The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) recently released a favorable advisory opinion, OIG Advisory Opinion No. 24-02 (the “Opinion”) to a nonprofit organization that provides...more
The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) recently released a favorable advisory opinion, OIG Advisory Opinion No. 24-01 (the “Opinion”), to a Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance...more
In coordination with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) proposed a...more
On December 9, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DOJ) and Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) announced they had entered a Memorandum of Understanding...more
On May 25, 2022, OIG posted an Advisory Opinion analyzing a medical group’s proposal to employ an individual excluded from participation in federal health care programs to perform marketing tasks related to workers’...more
Perhaps signaling the increasing likelihood of a permanent telehealth solution for the Medicare program, the Office of Inspector General for the US Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) has established a “Featured...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) calendar year 2022 rule proposing changes to payment policies under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Medicare Part B (the Proposed Rule) will officially be published in...more
On May 5, 2021, OIG issued guidance on its COVID-19 Administrative Enforcement FAQs page stating that an ambulance provider or supplier waiving or discounting Medicare beneficiary cost-sharing obligations presents a low risk...more
A few years ago, we told you about the “ongoing saga” surrounding the ability of a Medicaid beneficiary or a provider of health care services to a Medicaid beneficiary to challenge a state Medicaid agency’s putative violation...more
Final Rule Closely Resembles Previously Withdrawn 2019 Proposed Rule - INTRODUCTION - On November 20, 2020, as part of a release of several drug pricing rules, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”)...more
On July 24, 2020, OIG issued an Advisory Opinion (AO), AO 20-04, regarding whether an arrangement where a charitable organization purchases or receives donations of unpaid medical debt from health care providers, and then...more
OIG maintains a list of all currently excluded individuals and entities called the "List of Excluded Individuals/Entities," or LEIE. Covered entities that hire – or continue to employ or work with – an individual or entity on...more
On Feb. 9, 2018, the Trump Administration released a 30-page report analyzing domestic and global factors influencing drug pricing. The report by the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) is expected to inform the HHS' Fiscal...more
On January 20, 2017, Assistant to President Trump and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus directed Federal agencies to temporarily postpone the effective date of such regulations for sixty days (March 21, 2017) unless such action...more
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently published a final rule regarding its exclusion authorities. The final rule goes into effect March 21, 2017, and expands OIG’s authority to exclude certain individuals and...more
On January 12, 2017, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued final rules implementing permissive exclusion authorities authorized by the Affordable Care Act expanding...more
With just a week left before a new administration takes office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) finalized changes to the regulations authorizing OIG to exclude...more
On Dec. 7, 2016, just in time for the holiday season, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a policy statement regarding the nominal value of gifts that healthcare providers may give to Medicare and Medicaid...more
Deadlines are looming to come into compliance with sweeping changes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements for long-term care facilities (LTC) participating in Medicare and Medicaid. The CMS final...more
Section 1128 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7) (available here) established mandatory and permissive authority for exclusion of health care providers from Federal health care programs based on provider conduct. ...more
The HHS-OIG issued new guidelines on April 18, 2016 regarding the Secretary's exercise of the Department's permissive exclusion authority pursuant to Section 1128(b)(7) of the Social Security Act. The HHS-OIG's new guidance...more
On April 18, 2016, the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) released updated guidance related to the criteria it may use for evaluating its permissive exclusion authority under Section 1128(b)(7) of the...more
On April 18, 2016, the Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) of the Department of Health and Human Services issued a revised policy statement applicable to exclusions imposed under Section 1128(b)(7) of the Social Security Act...more