Articles and Blogs

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin recently signed Vermont House Bill 413 into law.  The new law adds a new section to Vermont’s laws on abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable adults residing in long term care facilities.  The new section allows Vermont’s Attorney General the right to pursue a civil action against individuals, nursing homes and…Read More

On May 10, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released an advance copy of a final rule (“Final Rule”) revising several critical access hospital (“CAH”) Medicare conditions of participation (“CoPs”).  These changes, together with a number of changes to the hospital CoPs, will benefit hospitals of both types by allowing for increased…Read More

Overview CMS has released a final rule (“Final Rule”) revising the hospital and critical access hospital (“CAH”) Medicare conditions of participation (“CoPs”).  This Final Rule implements President Obama’s Executive Order 13563 calling for removal or modification of obsolete or unnecessary regulations on hospitals and CAHs.  Indeed, the Final Rule reduces burdens, provides flexibility and saves…Read More

Resumé fraud.  Resumé padding.  Falsified job applications.  Call it what you like, but the topic has figured prominently in the media as of late due to the discovery that a CEO of an international internet company, allegedly embellished his resumé.

Good news for private employers.  Today, May 14, 2012 the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the NLRB lacked a quorum when it took a final vote to issue it’s hotly debated “Quickie Election Rule”.  Consequently, the Rule that would have had the effect of drastically speeding up union elections…Read More

Background Throughout the existence of the Medicare Part D program, the Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) has issued several reports concerning the vulnerability of the Medicare Part D program in regards to its potential for fraud and abuse.  On May 9, 2012, the OIG released a report identifying eight questionable billing practices of retail pharmacies throughout the…Read More

The Indiana Supreme Court heard argument on May 10, 2012, from two uninsured patients that claimed a non-profit hospital overbilled them. Specifically, they claimed the Hospital charged them more than insured patients for the same treatment. Both patients acknowledged signing contracts for payment in which they agreed to pay the Hospital’s bill if the “account…Read More

House Reconciliation Bill Cuts Health Care Spending The House of Representatives voted along party lines Thursday to pass a bill that makes major cuts in Medicaid spending while allowing across-the-board Medicare cuts to take effect as scheduled. The budget reconciliation bill introduced earlier in the week by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and adopted by…Read More

Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) will soon begin to serve as the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Jurisdiction 8, which includes the states of Indiana and Michigan.  According to listserve communications, Indiana Part A providers and Michigan Part A providers will transition to WPS effective July 23, 2012.  Indiana Part B suppliers will transition to WPS…Read More

Normally a physician who is not actually “employed” by a hospital is not an employee who would be protected by anti-discrimination laws. But it’s not always that simple. In fact, it can be quite complicated and risky for a hospital if the relationship is not clearly established. If the relationship is not clear then a…Read More