The following is a summary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports of fraud and abuse enforcement activity across the country. The enforcement actions reported are...more
9/7/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Enforcement ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Fraud and Abuse ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicaid ,
OIG ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Qui Tam ,
Rebates ,
Trade Agreements Act
The following is a summary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports of fraud and abuse enforcement activity across the country. The enforcement actions reported are...more
8/19/2022
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Durable Medical Equipment ,
Enforcement ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Health Care Providers ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare Fraud ,
OIG ,
Telemedicine
Earlier this month, the New York State Department of Health announced that Brett Friedman, who replaced Donna Frescatore in 2021 as the New York State Medicaid Director, is leaving the Medicaid Program. The Commissioner of...more
As COVID-19 variants surge in the country, mask mandates return, and more workplaces and public spaces make vaccination a requirement, how should health care providers proceed? Can they require employees, patients and clients...more
Many health care providers have dealt with guardianships, or conservatorships, in which courts appoint a guardian who serves as the decision maker for someone who isn’t capable of self-care or decisions, including medical,...more
April is often promoted as National Healthcare Decisions Month, with April 16 designated the “Healthcare Decisions Day.” The awareness campaign serves as a valuable annual reminder for health care providers to discuss with...more
Our health care team is closely monitoring proposed legislation that would upend the existing statutes regarding the written, informed consent that providers must obtain from patients.
The law currently defines informed...more
Now that COVID-19 vaccinations are rolling out across New York state and beyond, can health care providers require employees to receive the vaccine - especially when this layer of protection may enhance their capability to...more
It’s Halloween week, and things are getting scary. Our post from earlier this week proved eerily prescient when the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the...more
Recognizing the unprecedented reach and toll of the COVID-19 public health emergency, Governor Cuomo on Friday, April 3 signed into law a number of measures designed to shield health care professionals from civil and criminal...more
As New York state’s COVID-19 numbers grow, local communities have been asked to evaluate its surge capacity plans.
Health systems across the state have submitted to the NYS Department of Health “surge capacity plans”...more
For the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has waived or flexed various Conditions of Participation of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). ...more
4/1/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Business Interruption ,
CARES Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Compliance ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Loans ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Health Care Providers ,
Lenders ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Small Business ,
Tax Relief ,
Unemployment Insurance
Over the course of the last few days, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued guidance waiving compliance with certain HIPAA privacy and security regulations, making it easier for our essential health...more
For the most part, health care providers and entities are considered essential under Governor Cuomo’s “New York State on PAUSE” Executive Order issued on Friday, March 20 in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Effective at 8...more
As the March 21 deadline for the New York SHIELD Act draws closer, health care providers may be wondering: does their status as a covered entity under HIPAA, and its associated data security protections, automatically...more
Recent reports of abuse in nursing homes are not only disturbing; they also shed light on the difficulties that long-term care (LTC) facilities face in screening potential health care workers. We believe background screenings...more
11/14/2019
/ Background Checks ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Elder Abuse ,
Elder Care ,
Elder Issues ,
Health Care Providers ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) ,
Nursing Homes ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Screening Procedures
The Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is tomorrow: Saturday, October 26.
This day has evolved over the years to address the growing opioid crisis, including misuse and abuse of unused...more
10/25/2019
/ DEA ,
Drug & Alcohol Abuse ,
Health Care Providers ,
Opioid ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Physicians ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
Substance Abuse
In a growing nationwide crisis, health care providers are struggling with an acute shortage of physicians. Industry reports show that the demand for doctors will continue to outpace supply, leading to a projected shortfall of...more
It’s been six months since new lobbying regulations in New York state took effect. Due to complexities and gray areas in the law, health care organizations operating in New York state frequently encounter questions regarding...more
While hospitals remain focused on restoring health to their patients, they must not let their defenses down when it comes to robust cybersecurity practice that safeguards their patients' information....more