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Yelena Greenberg advises hospitals, academic medical centers, nursing homes, physician groups, and university health centers and clinical programs on a broad range of health law issues. Lena is a member of the firm’s Health Law Group. Read her full rc.com bio here.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently signed legislation to expand the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), nurse-midwives, and physician assistants (PAs) to perform certain forms of abortion.Continue Reading Connecticut Expands Advanced Practice Providers’ Scope of Practice to Include Certain Forms of Abortion

As previously addressed on this blog, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently signed into law the state’s fiscal year 2023 budget (HB5506) (Act). Among other things, the Act prohibits homemaker-companion or home health agencies from contractually preventing their clients from hiring agency employees. The Act deems such “no-hire” clauses as against public policy.Continue Reading Connecticut Prohibits No-Hire Provisions in Homemaker and Home Health Agency Contracts

A federal court in Delaware recently determined that the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – the federal agency responsible for administering the 340B drug pricing program – did not comply with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) when it issued a May 17, 2021 letter to AstraZeneca to enforce the use of contract pharmacies under the 340B statute (“Enforcement Letter”).  In its decision, AstraZeneca v. Becerra, No. 1:21-cv-00027 (D. Del.) (Feb. 16, 2022), the federal district court for the District of Delaware vacated and set aside HRSA’s Enforcement Letter, and remanded the matter to HRSA for further consideration. The Court stated that it will further solicit the parties’ views on the impact of the Court’s conclusions to assess if and how the case should proceed, in terms of affording relief under AstraZeneca’s complaint.
Continue Reading Delaware District Court Determines that HRSA Enforcement Letter Targeting 340B Program Restrictions Violates the APA

On November 12, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued finalized guidance (“Guidance”) clarifying that hospitals can share space, services, or personnel with another hospital or health care provider so long as they demonstrate independent compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs). This Guidance, which finalizes the prior draft guidance issued on May 3, 2019, explains how CMS and state agency surveyors will evaluate a hospital’s space sharing or contracted staff arrangements when assessing the hospital’s compliance with the Medicare CoPs.  The Guidance took effect immediately upon publication on November 12, 2021.

As relayed by CMS, hospitals have increasingly co-located with other hospitals or other healthcare entities as they seek efficiencies and develop different delivery systems of care. Co-location occurs when two Medicare certified hospitals or a Medicare certified hospital and another healthcare entity are located on the same campus or in the same building and share space, staff, or services.
Continue Reading CMS Finalizes Guidance on Hospital Co-Location

To ensure the continued availability of health care workers, on November 12, 2021, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) issued Order 2021-13 (COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order No. 2021-13), extending licensure reciprocity for certain out-of-state providers to provide services (in person or via telemedicine) to patients in Massachusetts. Order 2021-13 extends prior DPH orders which authorized issuance of temporary licenses for certain health care providers and renewal or reactivation of certain temporary licenses.
Continue Reading Massachusetts DPH Issues Two Orders To Ensure Continued Availability of Health Care Provider Workforce