Month: April 2020
April 16, 2020 | Eric D. Fader | COVID-19 | Employer/Employee | Hospitals | Legislation and Public Policy | Medicare and Medicaid | Nursing Homes
An April 13 article in Part B News, “Seeking a lifeline: COVID-19 loans, advance payments on offer, but watch terms,” discussed programs under which healthcare providers can seek financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Medicare’s Accelerated and Advance Payment Program and the U.S. Small Business Association’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Rivkin Radler’s Robert Iseman
Read MoreApril 16, 2020 | Rivkin Rounds Staff | COVID-19 | Hospitals | Legislation and Public Policy
An April 15 article in Law360, “Tenn. Hospital Bankruptcy May Be the First of Many,” discusses the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the financial well-being of U.S. hospitals and health systems. Rivkin Radler’s James Lagios, Robert Iseman and Stuart Gordon collaborated on the article.
The article points out that in recent years, U.S. hospitals
Read MoreApril 14, 2020 | Rivkin Rounds Staff | COVID-19 | Fraud and Abuse | Home Health | Hospitals | Legislation and Public Policy | Medicare and Medicaid
In the latest installment of Rivkin Radler’s COVID-19 Business Briefing Series, held on April 14, Geoffrey Kaiser and Ada Kozicz presented on the recent issuance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of blanket Stark Law waivers for certain types of business arrangements, intended to help address the current health emergency. On
Read MoreApril 8, 2020 | Rivkin Rounds Staff | Employer/Employee | False Claims Act | Fraud and Abuse | Hospitals | Litigation
An article in the April issue of Healthcare Risk Management, “Surgeon Sues Health System for ‘Forced Referrals’,” discussed a whistleblower lawsuit filed against a Florida health system. Rivkin Radler’s Geoffrey Kaiser was quoted in the article.
Jeff pointed out that if a surgeon is an employee of a health system, requiring him to refer his
Read MoreApril 7, 2020 | Rivkin Rounds Staff | Behavioral Health | COVID-19 | Cybersecurity | HIPAA | Home Health | Hospitals | Legislation and Public Policy | Private Insurers | Telehealth
On April 6, Rivkin Radler’s Eric Fader presented a COVID-19 Business Briefing on Telehealth. The Briefing covered recent developments in federal and state law and policy, and changes in private insurers’ policies, that have been aimed at encouraging the use of telehealth during the current public health emergency.
This Business Briefing was the second in
Read MoreApril 6, 2020 | Rivkin Rounds Staff | COVID-19 | Employer/Employee | Legislation and Public Policy
On April 6, Rivkin Radler’s Robert Iseman presented a COVID-19 Business Briefing on the Paycheck Protection Program that was created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Paycheck Protection Program will make up to $349 billion in loans available to small businesses that
Read MoreApril 6, 2020 | Marc S. Ullman | COVID-19 | FDA
On April 3, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a notice that it has created a special email address in order to assist importers who are experiencing delays bringing COVID-19-related supplies into the U.S. According to the notice, the primary reason for the delays is confusion relating to the difference between personal and commercial
Read MoreApril 1, 2020 | COVID-19 | Hospitals | Legislation and Public Policy | Medicare and Medicaid | Nursing Homes
As healthcare providers continue to fight the coronavirus outbreak, many practices are suffering major disruptions due to the cancellation of elective surgeries and office visits, among other things. In an effort to lessen the financial hardships facing these providers, on March 28 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an expansion of its
Read MoreApril 1, 2020 | Benjamin P. Malerba | COVID-19 | Legislation and Public Policy | Litigation
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order on March 23 expanding resources to healthcare workers. The goal is to meet the treatment demands of coronavirus patients and, most significantly, provide healthcare providers with protection against lawsuits for medical malpractice and other potential liability. Executive Order 202.10 grants immunity to all physicians, physician assistants,
Read MoreApril 1, 2020 | Geoffrey R. Kaiser | Ada Janocinska | COVID-19 | Fraud and Abuse | Home Health | Hospitals | Legislation and Public Policy | Medicare and Medicaid
On March 30, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued blanket waivers of certain requirements of the federal physician self-referral law (Stark Law), retroactive to March 1, in response to the COVID-19 crisis. A detailed discussion of the waivers may be found here.
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