Articles and Blogs

This Health Care Tax News article is Part II in a series discussing the Proposed Regulations under Code Section 501(r).  The previous installment provided a general overview of the Proposed Regulations and addressed their applicability to “Hospital Organizations” and “Hospital Facilities” and can be accessed by clicking here.  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care... READ MORE

This Health Care Tax News article is Part I in a series discussing the Proposed Regulations under Code Section 501(r). While the health care industry has been awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has been proceeding with its... READ MORE

Today, the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) announced that it is extending its review of the final regulations arising from the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH”).  Based on regulatory timeframes, these regulations were expected to be released no later than today.  The regulations have been long-awaited and will... READ MORE

The 2011 Form 990, Schedule K has added a question asking whether or not written procedures have been adopted to ensure violations are timely identified and corrected through the IRS’s Voluntary Closing Agreement Program (“VCAP”) if self-remediation is not available.  See our February 2012 Summary of 2011 Schedule K changes, here.  As this question... READ MORE

On Tuesday, June 19, 2012, the Health Resources and Services Administration (“HRSA”) released new guidance related to the current ongoing 340B Program covered entity audits (“340B Audit Guidance”). Although this guidance is consistent with other related audit information communicated verbally and in writing by HRSA, it does provide additional clarity regarding the pre-audit, onsite... READ MORE

Summary On June 15, 2012, the Director of the Survey and Certification Group of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a memorandum (“Memo”) to state survey agency directors instructing them to hold off on enforcing a recently revised hospital governing body condition of participation (“CoP”) requiring the governing body of each... READ MORE

This installment of Hall Render’s Health Law Broadcast series on health care reform is designed to provide you with the insight, analysis and practical suggestions with respect to the various reform initiatives that will affect your organization. On May 11, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published a proposed rule (“Proposed... READ MORE

The second wave of the HIPAA Security and Privacy Audit Program conducted by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is underway.  Linda Sanches, the Lead for HIPAA Compliance Audits for the OCR, provided a detailed update on the Audit Program at the fifth annual Safeguarding Health Information: Building Assurance through HIPAA Security conference... READ MORE

Hall Render has learned the Supreme Court will not issue an opinion on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act this week. Sources at the Court tell Hall Render the earliest the Court might rule on the landmark health care law is Monday, June 18. READ MORE

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) is set to announce today it is testing the Advance Payment Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model for participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The Shared Savings Program provides incentives for participating health care providers who agree to work together and become accountable for coordinating... READ MORE