Health Law Observer
Timely insights and legal commentary on various health care issues and developments surrounding regulations, employment, transactions and a range of key industry matters. This blog is maintained by the Health Care Department of Stevens & Lee.
Effective immediately, the CMS Guidance requires hospitals to ensure that medical professionals obtain and document the patients’ informed consent before sensitive examinations or invasive procedures.
To comply with the recent Corporate Transparency Act, owners and operators of a wide range of healthcare entities may be subject to report beneficial ownership information.
The long-awaited federal Final Rule modifying the regulations that govern the privacy of substance use disorder treatment records remain stricter than HIPAA, especially regarding disclosures.
the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, and the Department of Health and Human Services announced that they were “launching a cross-government public inquiry into private equity and other corporations’ increasing control
Estate planning is especially important for healthcare providers who often have unique assets, liabilities and professional responsibilities.
New York Governor Cathy Hochul recently vetoed a bill that would have enacted a sweeping ban on non-competition covenants.
Overall, the focus of this evidentiary review appears to be on whether the merger will produce substantial competitive benefits, i.e., will improve competition in the relevant market or prevent the threat that it may be lessened.
The merger guidelines will impact every health care system merger. In highly concentrated markets, a merger that eliminates a significant competitor creates significant risk that the merger may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly.
PA entities and businesses should become familiar with the new annual reporting requirements and consider a few practical implications.
The Guidelines are intended to “reflect modern market realities, advances in economics and law, and the lived experiences of a diverse array of market participants.”
We delve into how Personal Health Records (PHR) differ from Electronic Health Records, key regulations affecting PHR, and how entities handling PHR approach compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
An analysis of the "Hospital at Home" program, its waivers and the key considerations for qualified hospitals that may want to pursue it.
New York businessowners and employees alike await a decision from Governor Kathy Hochul as to proposed legislation, which has passed in both the New York State Senate and General Assembly, that would ban most non-competition covenants in the state.
In its complaint, the FTC alleges that USAP and Welsh Carson carried out a three-part plan to consolidate and monopolize the anesthesiology market in Texas.
This dismissal comes in the aftermath of the DOJ having previously lost four other criminal cases involving either no-poach or wage-fixing agreements.
A recently decided case out of Connecticut provides a useful examination of how antitrust standing issues may be analyzed in cases involving commercially insured patients directly suing a health care system alleging economic harm.
This well-laid out reference guide will make life easier for compliance professionals and applies to all health care industry stakeholders.
Late-stage transaction conflicts are not impassible and, if considered appropriately, can even result in an additional benefit to the Seller.
The OIG recently ruled that a proposed arrangement offering that required additional devices billed to federal health care programs would violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the Beneficiary Inducements Civil Monetary Penalties Law.
We examine the gag clause prohibitions affecting health plan contracts and related compliance processes and issues.
The OIG recently considered the question whether an employed physician can be paid bonus compensation relating to procedures performed by the physician without violating the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
With the fact that the constitutional challenges to its structure/processes would now be adjudicated by a district court, the FTC announced it was dropping its case.
U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Clarify Key Provisions of the False Claims and Anti-kickback Statutes
The U.S. Supreme Court denied the request of qui tam relators that it review the Sixth Circuit’s decision in a recent case resulting in an unregistered meaning for both Anti-kickback Statue and False Claims Act.
The District Court for the District of Louisiana recently issued an order granting motions for summary judgment in favor of a notable hospital merger, holding that Louisiana’s issuance of a COPA constituted state action.