Academic Medical Centers
Connecticut Expands Penalties for Unlicensed Health Care OperationsMassachusetts HPC Expands Reporting Requirements and Oversight Authority in New Material Change RegulationsConnecticut Disbands Office of Health Strategy and Reassigns Health Care Oversight and Policymaking Authority Across State Agencies
Advisory Opinions
OIG Advisory Opinion No. 19-02 Allows Pharmaceutical Manufacturer to Temporarily Loan Smartphones to Financially Needy Patients to Receive Data from a Digestible Medication SensorOIG Disapproves of Drug Company’s Plan to Provide Hospitals Free Medications in Advisory OpinionOIG Issues Favorable Advisory Opinion for Trust Donations to Public-Private Research Institute Affiliated with a Health System Having Ongoing Business Relationships with Trustee-Owned Long-Term Care Facilities
Ambulance
Connecticut Budget Bill Reinforces EMTALA and Emergency Medical Services Obligations for State HospitalsConnecticut Governor Signs Bill Adding Requirements for Hospitals and Expanding DPH’s Enforcement ScopeConnecticut Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Health Care Providers from Reporting Medical Debt to Credit Reporting Agencies
Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC)
Connecticut Expands Penalties for Unlicensed Health Care OperationsConnecticut Disbands Office of Health Strategy and Reassigns Health Care Oversight and Policymaking Authority Across State AgenciesEverything Old is New Again: Connecticut Revamps Certificate of Need (CON) Program under Department of Public Health
Americans With Disabilities
CMS Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Facility WorkersOCR Reaches Early Case Resolutions with the State of Connecticut and a Private Hospital Regarding Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Have Reasonable Access to Support Persons in Hospital Settings During COVID-19Connecticut Legislature Permits Facilities to Administer Emergency Medication to Defendants Without Consent in Limited Circumstances
Anti-Kickback Statute
OIG Reiterates a Core Message: Stark Compliance and Fair Market Value Alone Do Not Shield Against Anti-Kickback Statute RiskSouth Carolina Lab Settles False Claim Act Case – A Study on Commercial Reasonableness and Disguised KickbacksOIG Greenlights Sponsored Diagnostic Testing in Advisory Opinion 25-07
Commercial Health Insurance
New Connecticut Law Expedites Claim Disputes Between Health Care Providers and InsurersMassachusetts Governor Healey Announces New Department of Insurance Regulations Intended to Streamline Prior Authorization PracticesCMS Issues Guidance and Requests Information to Promote Hospital Price Transparency Compliance and Enforcement Efforts
COVID-19
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026: Another Lifeline for Medicare Telehealth FlexibilitiesSong Remains the Same – Medicare Telehealth Services At Risk of Expiring Again on January 30, 2026DEA Extends Tele-Prescribing Flexibilities Yet Again – Now Through December 31, 2026 – to Avoid Telemedicine Cliff
Department of Justice
DEA Extends Tele-Prescribing Flexibilities Yet Again – Now Through December 31, 2026 – to Avoid Telemedicine CliffSouth Carolina Lab Settles False Claim Act Case – A Study on Commercial Reasonableness and Disguised KickbacksClean Slate: San Antonio Lab Executives Exonerated in Health Care Fraud Case
Education
Connecticut Governor Signs Public Health Bill: What Health Care Organizations Need to KnowKentucky Governor Signs Bill Aimed at Mitigating Healthcare Workforce Shortages: Beginning of a Trend?OIG Issues Favorable Advisory Opinion Regarding Home Health Agency’s Proposal to Pay Tuition Costs for New Employees
EMTALA
Connecticut Budget Bill Reinforces EMTALA and Emergency Medical Services Obligations for State HospitalsConnecticut Authorizes Out-of-State Health Care Practitioners to Render Assistance for Remainder of COVID-19 PandemicHHS Issues Section 1135 Waiver, and CMS Issues Blanket Waivers of Health Care Laws, in Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency
False Claims Act
South Carolina Lab Settles False Claim Act Case – A Study on Commercial Reasonableness and Disguised KickbacksFalse Claims Act Enforcement of Pharmacy Pricing & Prescribing Practices: The Walgreens CasesFirst Circuit Makes Historic Decision: “But-For” Causation is the Majority Standard in AKS-Based FCA Claims
Government Enforcement
Connecticut Expands Penalties for Unlicensed Health Care OperationsMassachusetts HPC Expands Reporting Requirements and Oversight Authority in New Material Change RegulationsConnecticut Heightens Scrutiny of Private Equity in Healthcare with Law Banning Hospital Sale-Leaseback Agreements and Requiring Private Equity Attestations
Health Information Exchanges and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs)
Connecticut Disbands Office of Health Strategy and Reassigns Health Care Oversight and Policymaking Authority Across State AgenciesTwo Weeks Notice for Covered Entities: February 16 Deadline Approaches to Update HIPAA Notice of Privacy PracticesAppeals Dropped of Decision Vacating HIPAA Reproductive Health Privacy Rule, Confirming Apparent End of the Rule and Attestation Requirement
Health Information Technology
Connecticut Updates its Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment ProgramConnecticut Disbands Office of Health Strategy and Reassigns Health Care Oversight and Policymaking Authority Across State AgenciesTwo Weeks Notice for Covered Entities: February 16 Deadline Approaches to Update HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Health Plans
Two Pathways for Medicaid Self-Disclosures Announced by OMIGNew COVID-19 At-Home Test Coverage Requirements Increase Need for Heightened Focus on Health Care Entity’s Billing PracticesDepartments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury Issue FAQ guidance on the FFCRA, the CARES Act, and other health coverage issues related to COVID-19
Healthcare Transactions
Massachusetts HPC Expands Reporting Requirements and Oversight Authority in New Material Change RegulationsConnecticut Disbands Office of Health Strategy and Reassigns Health Care Oversight and Policymaking Authority Across State AgenciesMassachusetts HPC Proposes to Update Material Change Reporting Requirements to Align with Newly Expanded Oversight Authority
Home Health Agencies
New Connecticut Law Restricts Health Care Providers’ Offering of Third-Party Patient FinancingConnecticut Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Health Care Providers from Reporting Medical Debt to Credit Reporting AgenciesConnecticut Supreme Court Addresses Contested Case Issue in Ruling on Certificate of Need Appeals
Licensure
Connecticut Governor Signs Public Health Bill: What Health Care Organizations Need to KnowHospitals Face New Attestation and NPI Requirements for Off-Campus Outpatient Locations by January 1, 2028Two Weeks Notice for Covered Entities: February 16 Deadline Approaches to Update HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Managed Care
New Connecticut Law Expedites Claim Disputes Between Health Care Providers and InsurersMassachusetts Governor Healey Announces New Department of Insurance Regulations Intended to Streamline Prior Authorization PracticesCMS Issues Guidance and Requests Information to Promote Hospital Price Transparency Compliance and Enforcement Efforts
Medical Devices
NOTICE TO PROVIDERS: CMS Phasing Out Certain COVID-19 Regulatory Waivers in Long-Term Care Facilities, Hospices, and ESRD FacilitiesAdvaMed Updates its Code of EthicsAdvisory Opinion 22-05: OIG Declines to Impose Sanctions Against Device Manufacturer’s Medicare Cost-Sharing Subsidy in Clinical Trial
Medical Staff and Peer Review
Connecticut Expands Nurse Protections Relating to Hospital Nurse Staffing Plans, Scope of Practice, and OvertimeCOVID-19 Vaccine Update: HHS Expands Pool of Eligible Vaccinators under PREP ActMassachusetts Federal Court Declines to Apply State Medical Peer Review Privilege in Federal Whistleblower Case
Private Equity
Massachusetts HPC Expands Reporting Requirements and Oversight Authority in New Material Change RegulationsConnecticut Heightens Scrutiny of Private Equity in Healthcare with Law Banning Hospital Sale-Leaseback Agreements and Requiring Private Equity AttestationsEverything Old is New Again: Connecticut Revamps Certificate of Need (CON) Program under Department of Public Health
Reimbursement
New Connecticut Law Expedites Claim Disputes Between Health Care Providers and InsurersConnecticut Heightens Scrutiny of Private Equity in Healthcare with Law Banning Hospital Sale-Leaseback Agreements and Requiring Private Equity AttestationsHospitals Face New Attestation and NPI Requirements for Off-Campus Outpatient Locations by January 1, 2028
Stark Law
OIG Reiterates a Core Message: Stark Compliance and Fair Market Value Alone Do Not Shield Against Anti-Kickback Statute RiskCMS Finalizes Standard for Identifying Overpayments and Grace Period for Investigations of Related OverpaymentsSouth Dakota Hospital Settles False Claims Act Allegations for Over $14 Million Following Self-Disclosure
Telehealth
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026: Another Lifeline for Medicare Telehealth FlexibilitiesSong Remains the Same – Medicare Telehealth Services At Risk of Expiring Again on January 30, 2026DEA Extends Tele-Prescribing Flexibilities Yet Again – Now Through December 31, 2026 – to Avoid Telemedicine Cliff
Telemedicine
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026: Another Lifeline for Medicare Telehealth FlexibilitiesSong Remains the Same – Medicare Telehealth Services At Risk of Expiring Again on January 30, 2026DEA Extends Tele-Prescribing Flexibilities Yet Again – Now Through December 31, 2026 – to Avoid Telemedicine Cliff