In its General Compliance Program Guidance (GCPG) issued in November 2023, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) announced its intent to publish industry segment-specific...more
On Nov. 6, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued the General Compliance Program Guidance (GCPG) for healthcare providers and other industry stakeholders. The GCPG...more
Recently, two ophthalmology practice groups — Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers of Texas (KEEC) and SouthEast Eye Specialists, PLLC (SEES) — reached large settlements with the U.S. government over allegations that the groups’...more
On Oct. 13, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued Advisory Opinion 23-07 approving a multispecialty physician practice’s proposal to pay bonuses to each of its...more
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has announced that it is expanding the topics it considers for new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) submitted by healthcare stakeholders. OIG will now answer general questions about the...more
On June 29, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued Advisory Opinion No. 22-14 regarding an ophthalmology practice’s proposed options to fund continuing education (CE)...more
On April 22, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a favorable advisory opinion (no. 22-08) (the “Advisory Opinion”) approving a healthcare organization loaning...more
On April 20, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a favorable advisory opinion (no. 22-07) regarding physician ownership of a medical device company that manufactures...more
On March 18, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Connecticut Attorney General announced that a Connecticut eye care practice and its owners had agreed to pay $192,699 to resolve allegations that the practice improperly...more
Every year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) releases an annual Solutions to Reduce Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in HHS Programs: OIG’s Top Unimplemented Recommendations. HHS...more
As previously discussed, on April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a process for inquiries to be submitted to OIG about whether administrative...more
One of the most challenging billing compliance issues ophthalmology practices encounter in coding and reimbursement is understanding when services provided on the same day as a surgical procedure are payable separately from...more
As previously discussed, on April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a process for inquiries to be submitted to OIG about whether administrative enforcement...more
In U.S. ex rel. Manieri v. Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2021 WL 857102 (N.D. Oh. Mar. 8, 2021), the Northern District of Ohio dismissed a relator’s claim that he had been improperly retaliated because he had raised concerns...more
As previously discussed, on April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a process for inquiries to be submitted to OIG about whether administrative enforcement...more
As previously discussed, on April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a process for inquiries to be submitted to OIG about whether administrative enforcement...more
In the early morning of Feb. 27, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, by a 219-212 vote. Two Democrats joined with a united Republican caucus to oppose the...more
3/2/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
FMAP ,
Health Care Providers ,
Indian Health Service (IHS) ,
Mental Health ,
OIG ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Popular ,
Provider Relief Fund ,
SAMHSA ,
Skilled Nursing Facility
Industry publication BVWire quoted a statement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that gives healthcare providers more certainty to rely on the much heralded final rule modernizing the physician...more
As discussed in a previous McGuireWoods alert, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published final rules, effective Jan. 19, 2021, that significantly amend the Physician Self-Referral Law (Stark Law), the...more
1/21/2021
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Fraud and Abuse ,
Health Care Providers ,
OIG ,
Physicians ,
Safe Harbors ,
Stark Law ,
Value-Based Care
As discussed in a previous McGuireWoods alert, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published final rules expected to be effective Jan. 19, 2021, that significantly amend the Physician Self-Referral Law...more
On Nov. 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published two long-awaited final rules significantly amending the Physician Self-Referral Law (Stark Law), the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and...more
In the last two weeks, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published two notices in the Federal Register delaying the publication of certain final fraud and abuse rule reforms for up to a full year. First,...more
As previously discussed, on April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a process for inquiries to be submitted to OIG about whether administrative enforcement...more
On May 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) updated its Work Plan to reflect its planned audit of the $50 billion disbursed by HHS to hospitals and other...more
As previously discussed, on April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a process for inquiries to be submitted to OIG about whether administrative enforcement...more