Articles and Blogs

Hall Render is proud to introduce the Black Health Care Executive Spotlight, a monthly series celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black leaders in the health care industry. Through interviews with executives from hospitals, health systems and other provider groups, the series aims to showcase the diverse perspectives shaping the future of health care.... READ MORE

On December 13, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) continued revisions to its “Guidance for SNF Attachment on Form CMS-855A” (“Guidance”). The Guidance is CMS’s subregulatory advice and FAQs to skilled nursing facilities on the completion and submission of the new Form CMS-855A SNF Disclosures Attachment (“SNF Attachment”) for every skilled... READ MORE

NATIONAL Amazon taps Hinge Health as MSK care partner, expanding digital health benefits program Anthem BCBS walks back on controversial anesthesia reimbursement policy Acadia Healthcare subject of another New York Times investigation California supplier to cut 70% of staff and 8 more supply chain updates CMS issues updated immediate jeopardy guidance HHS extends COVID... READ MORE

Brookdale Senior Living announced it will not be renewing its master lease with Ventas for 120 senior living communities. The master lease expires at the end of 2025. Brookdale cited rent increases of 3% to 10% upon renewal, along with historical negative cash flow from the communities as reasons for not renewing the lease.... READ MORE

Health care continues to drive private equity (“PE”) activity, creating opportunities for investors and traditional health care providers. Transactions in the health care space are especially complicated, layering health care regulatory and reimbursement considerations on top of a complex securities, antitrust, privacy and security framework. Hall Render’s PE team of attorneys and advisors leverage... READ MORE

On December 2, 2024, the Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) issued a proposed rule (“Proposed Rule”) that amended the regulations relating to exclusion authorities under the authority of OIG. The Proposed Rule would codify changes made by the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act... READ MORE

On December 5, 2024, an Alabama federal judge granted preliminary approval for the Blue Cross Blue Shield (“BCBS”) settlement. As part of the agreement, BCBS will pay $2.8 billion to a Settlement Fund and implement transparency and accountability measures to address alleged anticompetitive behavior. For a detailed discussion of the BCBS settlement, please see... READ MORE

The Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (“OPDP”) has issued its fifth Untitled Letter of the year, matching last year’s total number of enforcement letters. As a reminder, OPDP issued four Untitled Letters and one Warning Letter in 2023. So far this year, FDA has not issued any Warning Letters.... READ MORE

NATIONAL 5 multimillion-dollar Stark law penalties in 2024 5 Deals That Defined Hospital M&A in 2024 50 Joint Commission moves in 2024 Bristol Myers Squibb latest drug company to sue HHS over 340B rebate model CMS finalizes new kidney transplant model: 10 things to know CMS updates immediate jeopardy guidance: 4 key changes CMS... READ MORE

A recent report found that financial stability and margins improved for nearly half of rural hospitals after a merger, acquisition or affiliation with a larger system. More than a quarter of rural hospitals currently have negative operating margins. As inpatient stays shorten, providers are shifting capital investments from acute-care hospital facilities to outpatient construction... READ MORE