Articles and Blogs

Year: 2014

Happy New Year from the D.C. Circuit

[12/31/14]

Posted on December 31, 2014 in Long-Term Care, Home Health & Hospice

Written by: Taylor, Allison L.

Hall Render advised readers of a memorandum opinion issued December 22, 2014¹ by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, in which it struck down some, but not all, of the revised companionship services regulations (the “Regulations”) that are currently set to become effective on January 1, 2015. In this ruling, the... READ MORE

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IRS Releases Final Regulations on Code Section 501(r) Applicable to Tax-Exempt Hospital Organizations

[12/30/14]

Posted on December 30, 2014 in Health Law News

Published by: Hall Render

On December 29, the IRS released the long awaited final regulations under Code Section 501(r) applicable to hospital organizations exempt from tax under Code Section 501(c)(3). The final regulations indicate that they apply to tax years that begin after December 29, 2015, which will give all tax-exempt hospital organizations at least one year to come... READ MORE

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D.C. Circuit Strikes Down Portion of New Companionship Services Exemption

[12/29/14]

Posted on December 29, 2014 in Long-Term Care, Home Health & Hospice

Written by: Taylor, Allison L.

In a memorandum opinion issued December 22, 2014,1 the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia struck down some, but not all, of the revised companionship services regulations (the “Regulations”) that are currently set to become effective on January 1, 2015. The ruling comes out of a legal challenge brought against the United... READ MORE

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This Week in Washington – December 19, 2014

[12/19/14]

Posted on December 19, 2014 in Federal Advocacy

Written by: John Williams

SGR Repeal, Changes to Medicare Left Out of $1.1 Trillion Spending Deal On December 13, the $1.1 trillion spending bill passed the Senate and will fund the government through September 2015.  Twenty-one Senate Democrats voted against it, but the deal passed by a 56-40 margin.  The bill does not include any major changes to... READ MORE

Matthew Decker Joins Hall Render

[12/12/14]

Posted on December 12, 2014 in Firm News

Published by: Hall Render

Hall Render is pleased to announce associate attorney Matthew Decker, J.D., has joined the firm’s Detroit office. Decker practices in the area of health law with a focus on supply chain structure and operations, compliance counsel and corporate transactions. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and graduated cum laude from... READ MORE

NLRB Finalizes Quickie Election Rule

[12/12/14]

Posted on December 12, 2014 in HR Insights for Health Care

Written by: Bradley M. Taormina

One day after issuing a controversial decision regarding employees’ rights to use an employer’s email system for union organizing (detailed in this blog), the NLRB has adopted its final rule significantly shortening the timeline for union elections in the private sector. We have blogged extensively on the development of this rule as can be... READ MORE

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This Week in Washington – December 12, 2014

[12/12/14]

Posted on December 12, 2014 in Federal Advocacy

Written by: John Williams

Congress Passes FY 2015 Omnibus Bill On December 11, the House passed the continuing resolution/omnibus spending bill that will fund the federal government through September 30, 2015. The House also passed a two-day continuing resolution that provides the Senate time to debate the House-passed legislation and avoid a government shutdown that would have occurred at midnight Thursday. The... READ MORE

NLRB Overrules Precedent – Employees Have the Protected Right to Use Employer Email Systems for Union Organizing

[12/11/14]

Posted on December 11, 2014 in HR Insights for Health Care

Written by: Stephen W. Lyman

Rejecting and overruling its 2007 decision in Register Guard that limited employee rights to use employer email systems for union organizing, the NLRB, in a three to two decision, significantly broadened the scope of private employee rights to use an employer’s email system for union organizing purposes and other protected activity.  The decision focused on... READ MORE

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Pay for Required Time Spent in Security Screening – Yes or No?

[12/11/14]

Posted on December 11, 2014 in HR Insights for Health Care

Written by: Stephen W. Lyman

Does an employer have to pay its employees when it requires them to stand in line every day for up to 25 minutes waiting to go through security screening at the end of the day?  It seems like that’s a lot of time and that it might be fair to compensate those employees for... READ MORE

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New CMS Regulation Targets Billing Privileges

[12/11/14]

Posted on December 11, 2014 in Health Law News

Published by: Hall Render

Providers and suppliers who continually submit noncompliant claims to Medicare may have their billing privileges revoked by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) according to a final rule recently published in the Federal Register (“Final Rule”).  The new regulation will appear at 42 CFR § 424.535(a)(8)(ii) and will be effective on February... READ MORE