Below is Alston & Bird’s Health Care Week in Review, which provides a synopsis of the latest news in health care regulations, notices, and guidance; federal legislation and congressional committee action; reports, studies,...more
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the serious and growing mental health and substance use disorder crisis gripping children and youth in the United States. The situation is particularly serious for young people who are stuck...more
North Carolina is poised to enact significant certificate of need (CON) reforms that are expected to eliminate the need to secure CON approvals for the development of new psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment...more
I. Certificate of Need Program - A. A. AL2022-012, St. Vincent’s East, Birmingham, AL: Proposes to build out of existing shelled space on the seventh (7th) floor of the north tower within its existing hospital for the...more
Through North Carolina’s annual Healthcare Planning process, providers now have a first look at the opportunities expected to be identified for 2023 Certificate of Need (CON) proposals. The Proposed State Medical Facilities...more
On March 2, the State Health Coordinating Council officially kicked off a new year of planning for development of new health care facilities, services, and equipment for North Carolina. A range of Petitions were filed seeking...more
A conversation with Joy Heath & Joel Johnson - As the Certificate of Need (CON) year winds down, we look ahead to 2022 and pause to look back at some of the highlights across a robust year of 2021 CON activity....more
As part of sweeping exemptions aimed at facilitating all levels of healthcare during the coronavirus public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been issuing waivers for a wide range of...more
On March 30, 2020, CMS issued updates to its prior QSO memorandum, expanding its infection control and prevention guidance to include hospitals, critical access hospitals and psychiatric hospitals. The updated QSO memorandum...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In Ituah, et al. v. Austin State Hospital, a federal magistrate judge in Texas recently recommended the denial of a motion for class certification brought by patients alleging disability discrimination...more
On January 13, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new streamlined survey and certification process for psychiatric hospitals as part of the agency’s “Patients over Paperwork” initiative. ...more
In a noteworthy decision yesterday, the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) reaffirmed that the exemption in the state’s Zoning Act, M.G.L. c. 40A, for uses deemed to be “for educational purposes,” is construed very broadly. That...more
Proposed State Health Plan Adjustments - A. PA2019-002, Vitality Senior Living Management, LLC, d/b/a Traditions of Athens, LLC: Proposes to add 32 specialty care assisted living facility beds pursuant to Section...more
On July 1, 2019, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 19-99 “An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Regarding Emergency Medication” (PA...more
The application of EMTALA to psychiatric hospitals has long presented compliance concerns for psychiatric hospital providers. To provide clarity, the CMS recently released two memos that offer incremental additional guidance....more
Unless he or she needs medical care, a patient with a mental health issue can only be involuntarily held in a hospital emergency department for 72 hours. At the end of that interval, the patient must either be admitted to a...more
On February 22, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released several new and revised provider compliance tip sheets as part of its monthly update to the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) homepage....more
The Ohio Medical Board just published new FAQs and guidance on practicing via telemedicine, addressed to Ohio physicians and physician assistants. The FAQs follow the Ohio rules for telemedicine prescribing of drugs and...more
I. August 2017—Tennessee Certificate of Need Meeting - The agency approved the following applications during the August 23 meeting. A. Consent Agenda - 1. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville (Davidson...more
After 30 years as a fixture in the federal healthcare regulatory landscape, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act—more commonly known as EMTALA—has been in the news again. In the past year, the U.S. Department of...more
Connecticut state and federal courts faced a number of significant health care issues last year. We have summarized those cases that we think are particularly relevant to Connecticut hospitals, group practices and individual...more
CMS Issues SNF Final Payment Rule for FY 2016 – On July 30, 2015, CMS released the final Medicare FY 2016 payment rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The final rule will result in an estimated increase of $430 million...more
CMS Releases Final Payment Rules (IPPS, IRF, LTCHs, Hospice, and Psych): At the end of last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a set of final 2016 payment rules affecting acute care hospitals...more
In this Issue: - I. March 2015 — Tennessee Certificate of Need Meeting - II. Certificate of Need Program Report—Filings in March 2015 - III. Projects Deemed Complete for Review at May 2015 Meeting ...more