Articles and Blogs

NATIONAL 7 things to know about telehealth, innovation efforts in HHS rural action plan Blackbaud security breach hits 11 systems: Atrium, NorthShore University, UK HealthCare & more CMS Administrator Seema Verma Talks Testing In Nursing Homes CMS consolidates 8 provider comparison tools into a single platform CMS launches dashboard of 8 healthcare compare tools... READ MORE

With the school year beginning and many schools opting to reopen with an alternative format due to COVID-19, the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor (“DOL”) released new frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) aimed at clarifying paid leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical leave portions of... READ MORE

CMS finalized a proposal to allow the temporary transfer of Medicare graduate medical education (“GME”) full-time equivalent (“FTE”) cap slots from teaching hospitals that terminate their Medicare provider agreement or close a residency program to hospitals that continue training their departing residents or fellows. CMS made relatively few changes to the rule that it... READ MORE

On September 3, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced the details of its $2 billion Provider Relief Fund (“PRF”) performance-based incentive payment distribution to nursing homes. “Nursing homes” refers to skilled nursing facilities (often known as SNFs) for Medicare and nursing facilities (often known as NFs) for Medicaid. This $2... READ MORE

On September 2, 2020, CMS published the delayed Final Rule for the FFY 2021 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (“PPS”). This Final Rule will appear in the Federal Register on September 18, 2020 and will still become effective on October 1, 2020, despite its delays. Payments for inpatient hospital services for hospitals that are EHR... READ MORE

NATIONAL 26 states where COVID-19 is spreading fastest, slowest: Aug. 31 587 hospital CFOs, rev cycle leaders answer: How has the pandemic affected rev cycle? AHA Slams Big Pharma Over Efforts to Limit 340B Drug Discounts CMS delays changes to Stark Law, anti-kickback regulation CMS extends deadline for Stark Law overhaul CMS’ requirement of... READ MORE

On September 1, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced that assisted living facilities (“ALFs”) may now apply for funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Provider Relief Fund (the “CARES Act Provider Relief Fund”) under the Phase 2 General Distribution. HHS estimates that nearly one million older adults live in... READ MORE

In the early morning of Thursday, August 27, 2020, Hurricane Laura made landfall along the southern coast of Louisiana and Mississippi as a Category 4 storm, causing significant property damage to commercial properties, including health care facilities. As nonprofit hospitals and health systems assess and fix the damage resulting from natural disasters like Hurricane... READ MORE

The United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, recently issued an opinion reaffirming the need for counsel in qui tam cases under the False Claims Act (“FCA”). In particular, pro se plaintiffs, or individuals proceeding without attorney representation, filed suit against multiple defendants alleging qui tam claims under the FCA as well as 21... READ MORE

A recent decision by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals addressed the sometimes hostile relationship between the government and the whistleblowers it relies on to prosecute False Claims Act (“FCA”) actions. The resulting opinion was twofold: If the government wants to dictate FCA litigation it must intervene in the lawsuit; and The government has... READ MORE