Articles and Blogs

CMS intends to increase its oversight and scrutiny of changes of ownership (“CHOWs”) and operator disclosures for skilled nursing facilities. On November 2, 2022, CMS announced revisions to the Calendar Year 2023 Payment Policies that impact Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements;... READ MORE

NATIONAL 340B safety-net hospitals lost $2.96M from drugmaker restrictions, AHA finds Amazon launches virtual doctor marketplace in newest healthcare play American Hospital Association Throws Weight Behind Nursing Home TNA Legislation CMS leader says health innovation must be accessible to everyone Decades of neglect in nursing homes spur Biden plan for staff mandates Health system... READ MORE

President Joe Biden is being asked to sign legislation passed recently by Congress that would make certain nondisclosure and nondisparagement clauses unenforceable. Specifically, the Speak Out Act  (“the Act”), once signed, will make pre-dispute nondisclosure and nondisparagement clauses unenforceable with respect to sexual assault or sexual harassment disputes where the conduct is alleged to... READ MORE

Although there is no bright-line answer to which electronic monitoring and automated management practices will result in unfair labor practice charges, National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) General Counsel (“GC”) Jennifer Abruzzo has made clear that the NLRB will scrutinize such practices to ensure that they do not interfere with employees’ rights to... READ MORE

Forbes released The Top 10 Healthcare Industry Predictions for 2023 which includes a focus on 1) Medicare Advantage; 2) Changes in how PE and VC funds look at health care opportunities; 3) The impact of technology and retail on health care; 4) Changes in home care; and 5) Changes in how providers view value-based... READ MORE

NATIONAL Amazon’s leaked ‘Clinic’ would connect patients to telemedicine AHA responds to House request for feedback on stabilizing MACRA programs AI can enable better fall prevention for seniors CMS sets court-ordered 340B drug payments, but leaves back payment issues unresolved How CVS, Amazon and Walgreens are pushing into primary care, home health Like ordering... READ MORE

If your organization is a teaching hospital that disputes data in the CMS Hospital Cost Report Information System (“HCRIS”) file in connection with Section 131 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”), you have a deadline of November 18, 2022, to submit information to your Medicare Administrative Contractors (“MACs”). The official CMS posting is available... READ MORE

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) intends to increase its oversight and scrutiny of skilled nursing facilities in its Special Focus Facility (“SFF”) program. CMS is revising the SFF program to protect and improve the quality of care that residents living in these skilled nursing facilities receive. This action is being taken... READ MORE

PWC and the Urban Land Institute published their Emerging Trends in Real Estate report for 2023. The report is extensive and wide-ranging in scope, but one interesting finding was a list of markets where the greatest overall real estate growth is expected in 2023. Among the hottest markets were Nashville, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Austin,... READ MORE

NATIONAL AHA calls outpatient payment rate in final rule ‘insufficient’ given cost pressures AMA scrutinizes lack of competition, consumer harms in Medicare Advantage plans CMS bumps ASC payments to 3.8 percent in final rule CMS gives nursing homes a longer leash on staff COVID-19 vaccination requirements CMS locks in court-ordered 340B drug payment rates... READ MORE