Dorsey Health Law Blog

Uncategorized

Controlled Substance Prescribing Exceptions During Public Health Emergencies

In light of the novel coronavirus pandemic, health care practitioners should be aware of relaxed guidelines for prescribing controlled substance. This blog post describes when practitioners can prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine and exceptions available to opioid treatment programs. Telemedicine Prescribing Typically, an in-person medical evaluation must be conducted before a prescription for a controlled...

Medicare / Medicaid / OIG Guidance

Medicare Telehealth Payment Expanded to Help Address the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

On March 17, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) each issued policy statements which expand access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries and permit physicians and other practitioners to reduce or waive beneficiary cost-sharing obligations for Medicare telehealth...

Uncategorized

New HIPAA Waivers for Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Emergency

This post provides an update on a number of HIPAA waivers that have just been made available to health care providers: (1) Waivers for hospitals in the initial 72 hours of enacting a disaster protocol; and (2) Waivers for all health care providers to allow them to use “everyday communications technologies, such as FaceTime or...

Uncategorized

Coronavirus Resource Center

As the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to unfold governments, economies, businesses, and countries are being adversely affected. Many companies are therefore also facing significant and urgent business and legal challenges so we have created a resource center to provide information that may be helpful in decision making. Click here to access articles, webinars...

Uncategorized

Public Health Emergencies and the HIPAA Privacy Rule

                Will HIPAA obligations be relaxed or waived in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States?  They could be.  This blog post contains information that is helpful to understand in preparation for such possibility. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the...

Uncategorized

First EKRA Enforcement Announced

The first publicly disclosed prosecution under the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (“EKRA”) occurred last month, a little over a year after EKRA became law. As we described in a previous blog post, EKRA criminalizes certain health care payment arrangements related to referrals, regardless of payor. In the recent EKRA prosecution, an office manager of...

General

Triggering the Public Disclosure Bar: It’s in the Details

The Dorsey Health Law blog team keeps readers up-to-date on relevant topics in the health care industry. In order to do so, the members of the blog team communicate regularly with other practice groups within the firm for applicable updates from client publications. For this post, we would like to thank Dorsey’s Lindsey Schmidt for...

General

Justice Department Touts FY2019 False Claims Act Statistics as Evidence of Administration’s “High Priority” Against Fraud, but the Numbers Show Less of a Priority on Qui Tams

The Dorsey Health Law blog team keeps readers up-to-date on relevant topics in the health care industry. In order to do so, the members of the blog team communicate regularly with other practice groups within the firm for applicable updates from client publications. For this post, we would like to thank Kirk Schuler and Alex...

Employee Benefits / Employment

Don’t Get Bitten by Your COBRA Notices

In a growing wave of class action lawsuits, plaintiffs are targeting employers who have allegedly failed to provide proper notice of health care coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”).  The wave prompted at least six new lawsuits in 2019 alone, and some have already netted seven-figure settlements.  To avoid this...

Healthcare Fraud and Abuse / Medicare / Medicaid

OIG’s Latest Congressional Report Sees Continued Emphasis on Fraud and Abuse Enforcement

In the final quarter of calendar year 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) released its Semiannual Report to Congress (the “Report”).  The Report covers the six-month period from April 2019 through September 2019 and details for Congress the OIG’s activities during that time and how the office uses...

About Dorsey Health Care Group

Health care is changing rapidly, and change will continue. If you or your business operates in the health care world, you need more than just legal counsel. You need to stay Well Ahead by identifying and addressing your company’s risks and opportunities. More about the Health Care Litigation and Government Investigations, Health Transactions and Regulations, Health Benefit Plans, and Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement practice groups.

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Editor in Chief

avatar for Alissa SmithAlissa Smith

Alissa represents health systems, hospitals, pharmacies, long-term care providers, home he...

Managing Editor

avatar for Hannah McCallumHannah McCallum

Hannah brings specialized knowledge and real-life experience to help her clients make infor...

Contributors

avatar for Andrew BrantinghamAndrew Brantingham

Andrew's experience spans a wide range of industries, and has particular depth in...

avatar for Rebecca BrommelRebecca Brommel

Becki assists clients in the areas of litigation and administrative law wit...

avatar for Katie CownieKatie Cownie

Katie has worked on business and corporate issues for more than 20 years. Many of...

avatar for Lillie CoxLillie Cox

Lillie assists a wide array of healthcare industry clients with corporate transact...

avatar for Ross C. D'EmanueleRoss C. D'Emanuele

Ross works in the health care provider, payor, and drug and medical device segment...

avatar for Nathan EbnetNathan Ebnet

Nate represents clients in all stages of complex civil disputes, from pre-...

avatar for Elise FesterElise Fester

Elise counsels a wide variety of clients in the Health Care industry on regulatory...

avatar for Adam FreedAdam Freed

Adam provides strategic advice to health care providers through all stage...

avatar for Randall HansonRandall Hanson

Randall is an associate in Dorsey’s health transactions and regulations practice group.

avatar for Alan IversonAlan Iverson

Alan is a litigator in Dorsey’s trial group with a focus on clients in...

avatar for Michael JenkinsMichael Jenkins

Mike serves clients in highly regulated industries, including health care and gam...

avatar for Jamie McCartyJamie McCarty

Jamie counsels clients in the healthcare industry in connection with complex busi...

avatar for Neal N. PetersonNeal N. Peterson

Neal regularly advises clients regarding compliance with laws specific to the he...

avatar for Mara SandersMara Sanders

Mara regularly advises clients on matters of state and federal regulatory complia...

avatar for Vanessa J. SzalapskiVanessa J. Szalapski

Vanessa's practice focuses on litigation in the healthcare industry, including gen...

avatar for Claire H. ToppClaire H. Topp

Claire works in three diverse sectors – health care, tax exempt organizations,...

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