The Health Law Firm
DECEMBER 17, 2013
Our guest author of this is article is Jim Witt, a legal research attorney with National Legal Research Group in Charlottesville, Virginia. When Sopranos actor James Gandolfini died on June 19 of this year from a heart attack while he was on a vacation trip with his family in Italy, the media reported trivial facts surrounding his death, such as the details of his last meal and drinks.
CMS.gov
MARCH 7, 2013
By Patrick Conway, MD, MSc. Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. The next step on the path of meaningful adoption of health information technology (HIT) for providers—will launch later this year for hospitals and next year for eligible professionals. How will this next phase improve health care and reduce the burden on providers?
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The Health Law Firm
DECEMBER 12, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm On December 3, 2013, Orlando Health Physician Partners and Florida Blue announced the launch of an accountable care organization (ACO). The purpose of the ACO is to encourage providers to reduce healthcare costs by grouping together and assuming responsibility for the care of a group of beneficiaries.
The Health Law Firm
DECEMBER 10, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The cost of copying medical records is going up. On December 6, 2013, the Florida Board of Medicine voted unanimously to raise the cap on charges for copying medical records to $1 per page. Previously in Florida, physicians were allowed to charge up to $1 a page for the first 25 pages and 25 cents for every page after that.
Speaker: Simran Kaur, Co-founder & CEO at Tattva.Health
AI is transforming clinical trials—accelerating drug discovery, optimizing patient recruitment, and improving data analysis. But its impact goes far beyond research. As AI-driven innovation reshapes the clinical trial process, it’s also influencing broader healthcare trends, from personalized medicine to patient outcomes. Join this new webinar featuring Simran Kaur for an insightful discussion on what all of this means for the future of healthcare!
The Health Law Firm
DECEMBER 6, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Federal Judge Gregory A. Presnell has ruled that Halifax Health Medical Center, a Daytona Beach hospital, illegally compensated six (6) oncologists, violating the federal Stark Law. The case must still go to trial on the amount of damages and other legal issues.
The Health Law Firm
NOVEMBER 25, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. On November 14, 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama attended and spoke at the first Veterans Institute Workshop, held at Disney World. This event encouraged companies from across the country to hire, train and support our nation’s military service members and their families as they transition into civilian life, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Health Care Compliance Brief brings together the best content for health law & compliance professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
The Health Law Firm
NOVEMBER 19, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. Florida now has an active prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). It is called the “Electronic-Florida Online Reporting of Controlled Substances Evaluation” or “E-FORCSE.” More often it is referred to simply as the “prescription drug database” by Florida physicians.
The Health Law Firm
OCTOBER 31, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 28, 2013, a Florida federal judge approved a $3 million settlement in a False Claims Act lawsuit alleging Hospice of the Comforter Inc. (HOTCI), defrauded Medicare. The judge shot down objections from the whistleblower (sometimes called a “relator” or “plaintiff” who argued that the settlement amount is unfair, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The Health Law Firm
OCTOBER 23, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. We’re coming up on that time of year when stuffy noses and scratchy throats turn into the full-blown influenza virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu season usually runs from November 1 through March 31. With the flu season comes the debate over the legality of mandatory flu shots for health care professionals.
The Health Law Firm
OCTOBER 21, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 20, 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that companies will have to include unique device identification (UDI) codes on medical devices. These codes will provide a consistent way to identify medical devices, and therefore, should improve patient safety, according to the FDA.
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The Health Law Firm
OCTOBER 14, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The cost of copying medical records will stay where it is, for now. On October 3, 2013, the Florida Board of Medicine voted to not allow an increase to the cost of medical records requested by patients and others from physicians. The Board did vote to conduct research on the topic and discuss the issue again at the next Board meeting.
The Health Law Firm
OCTOBER 9, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The University of Miami Hospital allegedly owes Medicare $3.7 million. This is according to an audit report of the hospital’s billing practices that found the hospital allegedly overbilled the health care program in 2009 and 2010. The report was released on October 8, 2013, by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The Health Law Firm
OCTOBER 2, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A federal whistleblower or qui tam lawsuit against a local physician group has been settled, according to the Orlando Business Journal (OBJ) on September 30, 2013. The providers were accused of fraudulently billing Medicare and TRICARE from 2007 until 2010.
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules were amended by an Omnibus Final Rule published by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in January 2013. The most significant changes involve business associates who are now directly subject to the mandates of the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules and HIPAA enforcement.
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The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 25, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules were amended by an Omnibus Final Rule published by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in January 2013. By September 23, 2013, hospitals, physicians, covered entities and business associates must comply with the new changes.
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 24, 2013
By Cori Powers, Marketing Director, The Health Law Firm Attorneys Christopher E. Brown and Lance O. Leider with The Health Law Firm will be giving a presentation on Thursday, September 26, 2013, to the members of the Medical Office Resources of Florida (MOROF) and attending health care providers. This presentation is called, “Medicare and Medicaid Audits: Ready or Not, Here They Come.” The lecture is open, but attendees must register.
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 24, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules were amended by an Omnibus Final Rule published by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in January 2013. The Omnibus Final Rule marks the most significant changes to the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules since they were first implemented.
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A group of Florida radiation oncology service providers settled a whistleblower or qui tam lawsuit for $3.5 million, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on September 13, 2013. The providers were accused of defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE by performing unnecessary and improperly supervised procedures from 2007 until 2011.
Speaker: Jennifer Hill
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A Broward County, Florida, home health care company is accused of overbilling the Medicaid program for patient services by almost $500,000, according to the Sun Sentinel. This accusation comes after the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) conducted an audit of claims from July 2007 to March 2011.
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 6, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The clock is ticking. It is just a little over a year away until the switch to ICD-10. If you are not already preparing for the fall 2014, implementation, you should be. ICD-9 codes will be replaced, after more than 30 years, with ICD-10 codes. The mandatory implementation date is October 1, 2014.
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 4, 2013
The author of this is article is Mark Rieber, a legal research attorney with National Legal Research Group in Charlottesville, Virginia. A growing number of state courts have ruled that expert testimony concerning the phenomenon of false confessions may be admissible in a criminal trial. The Supreme Court of Michigan recently addressed this matter and held that while such expert testimony is potentially admissible, the expert testimony at issue before the court was based on unreliable research a
The Health Law Firm
SEPTEMBER 3, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, will pay $1.5 million to settle claims it overbilled Medicare and Medicaid for cancer clinical trial services that were not permitted by the Medicare and Medicaid rules. This announcement from the Department of Justice (DOJ) was released on August 28, 2013.
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Healthcare communication has evolved from handwritten notes and paper charts to digital tools like EHRs, telemedicine, and AI-powered platforms. This blog explores how these advancements improve patient outcomes, streamline care delivery, and enhance provider collaboration. Learn about the role of mobile health (mHealth) apps, secure messaging, and social media in bridging communication gaps.
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 30, 2013
By Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On August 2, 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2014 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule (the 2014 IPPS Final Rule). The 2014 IPPS Final Rule substantially affects how hospitals will bill for observation stays, long outpatient stays and short inpatient stays.
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 29, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A therapy staffing company owner and a patient recruiter pleaded guilty on August 21, 2013, to one count each of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a $7 million Medicare fraud scheme. The scheme allegedly involved a now defunct home health care agency, Anna Nursing Services Corp., in Miami Springs, Florida, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 28, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. Bostwick Laboratories (Bostwick) will pay the government $503,668 to settle whistleblower allegations that the company made illegal payments to induce physicians to utilize Bostwick’s laboratory testing services, according to a press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on August 20, 2013.
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 26, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. An investigation by the Florida Attorney General’s (AG) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) uncovered almost $600,000 in alleged Medicaid fraud. According to the AG, a pharmacist and owner of a Hialeah, Florida, pharmacy, was arrested on August 22, 2013.
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Let's discuss the trusty pager—an old favorite that’s losing its shine in hospitals and clinics. While once a staple in hospitals and clinics, pagers now present significant limitations that hinder rather than facilitate communication among healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals are constantly on the move, and they need communication tools that can keep up with their fast-paced lives.
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 21, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On August 19, 2013, Shands Healthcare agreed to pay $26 million to settle a lawsuit that stemmed from a whistleblower/qui tam claim. According to the settlement agreement, six of Shands’ Florida hospitals were accused of billing government health programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, for inpatient claims that should have been coded as outpatient services for five years.
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 19, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast recently paid $4.3 million to settle civil allegations under the False Claims Act, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on August 16, 2013. The nonprofit organization is accused of fraudulently billing Medicaid and other government programs for health services provided by some of its Texas clinics between 2003 and 2009, according to the DOJ.
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 16, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law It’s usually a nightmare for a physician who performs wrong-site surgery. However, that’s what one surgeon at Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach, Florida, is accused of doing. The term “wrong-site” refers to the fact that the surgeon has operated on the wrong leg, arm, eye or other organ.
The Health Law Firm
AUGUST 15, 2013
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law For the first time, patients can view and compare surgery safety results at hospitals across the country. Consumer Reports recently rated nearly 2,500 hospitals in 50 states for surgical safety. This report measured infections, readmission rates, complications and adverse reactions (such as a heart attack or death) in patients after a surgery.
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Large enterprises face unique challenges in optimizing their Business Intelligence (BI) output due to the sheer scale and complexity of their operations. Unlike smaller organizations, where basic BI features and simple dashboards might suffice, enterprises must manage vast amounts of data from diverse sources. What are the top modern BI use cases for enterprise businesses to help you get a leg up on the competition?
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