Monitoring the Pulse of Health Care and Life Sciences
*This post was co-authored by Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
In November 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) published the results of its audit assessing hospital compliance with the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule (HPT Rule). OIG determined that 37…
As part of its 2025 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (PFS Rule), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized two crucial updates to federal Medicare overpayments regulations (sometimes referred to as the “60-Day Rule”) that (1) align the standard for when an overpayment is identified with the applicable standard under the…
*This post was co-authored by Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
On September 30, 2024, Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued an order in United States ex rel. Clarissa Zafirov v. Florida Medical Associates, LLC, holding that the…
On May 9, 2024, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 24-6, “An Act Concerning the Reporting of Medical Debt,” (The Act). The Act prohibits health care providers from reporting medical debt to credit rating agencies and makes various updates to existing laws regarding the reporting of medical debt already applicable…
Below is an excerpt of an article published in American Health Law Association’s Regulation, Accreditation, and Payment Practice Group on March 21, 2024.
The 340B program, as established under Section 340B to the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), Pub. L. No. 78-410, 58 Stat. 682 (1944) (“340B Statute”),[1] has experienced significant legal challenges…
On November 15, 2023, the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a $45.6 million consent judgment (Settlement) with six skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), as well as the owner of the SNFs and its management company which managed the SNFs, to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act (FCA) tied to medical director arrangements violating the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). The Settlement is notable for its inclusion of the owner and the management company in addition to the SNFs, which indicates DOJ’s interest in scrutinizing the actions of individuals and management entities in connection with problematic arrangements under federal fraud and abuse laws.Continue Reading DOJ Settlement Targets Owner and Management Company in Addition to Post-Acute Care Facilities
On November 1, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a proposed rule titled “21st Century Cures Act: Establishment of Disincentives for Health Care Providers That Have Committed Information Blocking” (the Proposed Rule). The Proposed Rule, if finalized, would create disincentives for health care providers that the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) determines have committed “information blocking” (as defined at 45 C.F.R. § 171.103).Continue Reading HHS Proposes Disincentives for Providers that Commit Information Blocking
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently signed two important pieces of legislation that affect hospitals and certain Medicaid providers and programs. First, Public Act No. 23-39, “An Act Requiring Discharge Standards Regarding Follow-Up Appointments and Prescription Medications for Patients Being Discharged From a Hospital or Nursing Home Facility” addresses new hospital discharge obligations for state hospitals. Second, Public Act No. 23-186, “An Act Concerning Nonprofit Provider Retention of Contract Savings, Community Health Worker Medicaid Reimbursement and Studies of Medicaid Rates of Reimbursement, Nursing Home Transportation and Nursing Home Waiting Lists”, which implements various changes affecting the state Medicaid program and enrolled providers. Certain legislative changes implemented by these Acts are summarized below.Continue Reading Connecticut Governor Signs Legislation Implementing New Requirements for Hospitals and Nursing Home Facilities
On June 26, 2023, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act 23-129: “An Act Concerning Liability for False and Fraudulent Claims” (the Act). The Act expands application of Connecticut’s False Claims Act (CFCA) to all claims for money or property to the state of Connecticut (except as expressly provided in the CFCA) and accordingly expands the scope of conduct covered by the CFCA. The Act does so by removing the current limitation on the CFCA’s applicability to only state-administered health or human services programs. The Act took effect July 1, 2023.Continue Reading Connecticut Expands Applicability of State False Claims Act
On June 27, 2023, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act 23-171 entitled “An Act Protecting Patients and Prohibiting Unnecessary Health Care Costs” (“the Act”), which includes changes to Connecticut’s facility fees law. The Act implements previously-announced legislative initiatives that are the product of collaboration between Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Hospital Association, as well as other health care stakeholders.Continue Reading Connecticut Governor Signs Health Care Bill Revising Connecticut’s Facility Fee Law
