Articles and Blogs

Mergers and acquisitions in the health care industry involve unique challenges that are not often present when undertaking similar transactions in other industries. Because of health care’s highly regulated nature, parties may falter if a health care transaction is not reviewed and negotiated carefully with respect to the distinct concerns that health care entails. This…Read More

Surprise Billing Bonanza in the House On February 7, two House panels released measures aimed at fixing surprise medical bills. The House Ways and Means Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee plan to vote on their bills this week. Lawmakers are trying to move quickly as they hope to include surprise billing legislation…Read More

Surprise Billing Continues to Be Hot as More Committees Weigh In The House Ways & Means Committee plans to release its surprise billing legislation this week in preparation for a markup on February 12. The Ways and Means proposal will rely on arbitration for resolving out of network claims and will have to be reconciled…Read More

The Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (“HSR”), as amended, requires all persons contemplating certain mergers or acquisitions that meet or exceed the jurisdictional thresholds (shown below) to file notification with the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Antitrust Division and to wait a period of time before consummating the transaction. Each…Read More

On January 21, 2020, the Supreme Court denied a motion to expedite consideration of a petition for certiorari in a case directly challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”).[1] Given the Supreme Court’s decision, it is likely that the fate of Obamacare will not be decided until sometime after the 2020 presidential election….Read More

Coming This Week: CMS to Release Medicaid Block Grant Plan Expected on Thursday, CMS will announce a plan to overhaul Medicaid by letting states shift certain program funding to block grants. CMS Administrator Seema Verma has been very passionate about implementing a block grant option, as she said this was the pathway to give states…Read More

The USDA Hemp Producer License Rule and Framework On October 31, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) published an interim final rule[1] with request for comments in the Federal Register regarding hemp production (“USDA Hemp Rule” or the “Interim Final Rule”).[2] The USDA Hemp Rule establishes a federal hemp producer license and related…Read More