Articles and Blogs

Originally due last Fall, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has published the Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (“QAPI”) Provider Toolkit and Provider Resources for skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”).  These items have been published on a new CMS website dedicated to helping SNFs develop and implement a QAPI program, as required by... READ MORE

Executive Summary On May 17, 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published Change Request 8219 (Transmittal 465) (“CR 8219”) announcing new guidance on the use of rubber stamp signatures. For medical review purposes, Medicare requires providers to authenticate services provided or ordered with a handwritten or electronic signature. Currently, CMS does... READ MORE

Paul Ryan Tells Hall Render Congress “Ready” to Reform SGR, but Questions Remain On Monday, House Budget Committee Chairman and Ways and Means Committee member Paul Ryan (R-WI) told John Williams, the head of Hall Render’s federal advocacy practice area, that Congress is “ready” to permanently reform the Sustainable Growth Rate (“SGR”) formula.  “We’re ready... READ MORE

Attorney Tara Slone has been appointed by the American Bar Association to serve as one of its Health Law Section leaders for the 2013-2014 bar year.  Slone will be serving as Vice Chair of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Interest Group.  The group focuses on the rules governing health and other welfare benefit plans... READ MORE

Adverse Inference from Deleted Evidence Litigation happens.  When it does, and sometimes even before it does, you need to be aware that, unless you take steps to preserve discoverable or relevant evidence such as emails, memos or data banks, a jury might be instructed by the court to assume that the deleted evidence was... READ MORE

In November 2011, the Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) initiated a study regarding the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes.  The findings from the study indicated these types of drugs were being overprescribed to high-risk nursing home residents suffering from dementia; were being prescribed for uses not approved by the FDA; and... READ MORE

Release and Waiver of Claims Can’t Release and Waive Too Much  Employee severance agreements often grant severance benefits conditioned upon the departing employee’s signing an agreement that includes a general waiver and release of all claims.  That’s a common and prudent practice.  However, a recent complaint filed by the EEOC shows that common release... READ MORE

Introduction What Is  a Scribe?  A scribe is a documentation assistant.  A scribe records, in “real time,” facts and events that occur between a patient and a physician or other practitioner1 (“Physician”) during a patient encounter.  In a hospital emergency department, the scribe accompanies the Physician to the treatment area and records in the electronic... READ MORE

Hall Render is pleased to announce Shareholder John F. Williams, III was recently appointed to the Marion County Convention and Recreational Facilities Authority by Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. The Marion County Convention and Recreational Facilities Authority acquires, finances, constructs and leases capital improvements throughout the city.  The non-advisory board is filled by three residents... READ MORE

Hall Render Launches Stark Law Correction Initiative On May 30, Hall Render announced the formation of a coalition of health systems to pursue changes to the Stark Law.  The coalition, known as the Stark Law Correction Initiative (“SLCI”), will lobby Congress to adopt a “technical noncompliance” amendment that will fix the monetary penalty a... READ MORE