Texas AG Probes Physician Investment in Pharmacies
A Texas case investigating physician investment in compounding pharmacies could have nationwide implications for any form of ancillary service.
ABCs of Healthcare Corporate Compliance Programs
Outside of an Obamacare repeal, it is nearly certain that mandatory requirements of compliance programs are here to stay. Here's how to prepare.
The HIPAA Threat Tied to Online Patient Behavior
When patients "check in" via social media, it may help cyber-thieves check out their personal information, something practices should be aware of.
Is Healthcare.gov Using Google to Spy on Shoppers?
Recent reports accuse the federal government of doing exactly what HIPAA prohibits: sending consumer data to private companies for sales and marketing.
How Payments Work in Co-Management Arrangements
Here's a primer on how co-management agreements work in healthcare, a pay-for-performance tool picking up steam among physicians.
Pay for Performance Pays off in 50,000 Fewer Deaths
Rarely does the federal government hand physicians a tool that makes life a little better. That’s what OIG Opinion 12-22 does, and now data backs up the theory.
New CMS Rule Cracks Down on Past Medicare Offenders
A new rule by CMS to punish "bad actors" and new concern with the Independent Payment Advisory Board highlight the problem with Medicare and Medicaid.
Free Drug Samples to Patients Come with Restrictions
At present, the question of providing free, or reduced costs drugs to patients, is a multifaceted problem which defies easy solutions.
Physician Ancillary Services Questioned
Ancillary services, like toxicology screening, are part of good patient treatment. So let’s stop scolding docs for getting paid for doing it.
What if Medicaid Expansion Was Upheld by Supreme Court?
Election Day winners promise the Affordable Care Act will fail. But what if it had actually had been given a chance to work?
Stark In-office Ancillary Exception Is Worth Preserving
Despite a recent expose by The Wall Street Journal, the in-office ancillary exception to the Stark Law will remain the most commonly used tool by practices.
Heroes Stricken in the Line of Duty at Dallas Hospital
Two nurses exposed to the Ebola virus in Dallas should not be scolded, as the CDC has done, but praised for their dedicated service to the public.
Understanding CMS' Open Payments Portal
CMS has unveiled its Open Payments website, revealing gifts to physicians. Here's what you need to know about the site and its information.
Physicians: Use the Open Payments Portal to Your Advantage
The insanity of CMS' Open Payments portal might benefit physicians. The key is a little civil disobedience to demonstrate the true value of physician time.
Understanding Hospital-based Coverage Contracts
Here's an overview of hospital-based coverage contracts involving physicians and five key compliance tips to keep in mind.
Physicians Targeted by Income Tax Fraud Scheme
Physicians in Texas and nationwide are the focus of an income tax fraud scheme. Here's what you need to know to protect yourself and your finances.
Termination of Network Provider Contracts
If you have been terminated by a provider, or notified you will be terminated, here's what you should know to know your recourse as a medical practice.
Understanding 'Commercial Reasonableness'
Here's what the requirement to be "commercially reasonable" means under the Stark Law and Anti-kickback Statute and what physicians need to know.
Understanding Physician Co-Management Arrangements
In the new value-based reimbursement environment, co-management arrangements can align the interests of physicians and hospitals. Here's what you need to know.
The Sunshine Act: How to Report, Dispute Physician Payments
Not only is it important that physicians report payments via the Sunshine Act, but also verify they match the amount the gift-giver is also reporting to CMS.
CMS Seeks to Repeal Sunshine Act Exemption for CME
An attempt by CMS to repeal a Sunshine Act exemption for payments made to speakers at accredited CME events has physician associations hopping mad.
The ABCs of ACOs: A Quick Primer for Physicians
Many are still confused about accountable care organizations. Here's how they came about, and how the Medicare ACO program works.
Investing in Ancillary Service Providers: Legal Risks for Physicians
A tax and business formation lawyer shares the legal risks physicians must consider prior to investing in or working for ancillary service providers.
Court Says Patients Can't Sue for HIPAA Privacy Breach
State case ruling indicates that patients may lack standing to successfully sue practices for potential damages due to a HIPAA breach.
Progress Traps and the 340B Drug Pricing Program
Hospitals are not only marking up and selling 340B-discounted drugs, but also buying up clinics to take advantage of the discount – a clear "progress trap."
Health Insurance Fine Print Shifts Burdens to Physicians
Payers can no longer exclude patients due to pre-existing conditions, so they are resorting to other tactics.
Private Doctors May Soon Treat VA Patients
Veterans may soon be able to seek care from private providers for up to two years, if they face long wait times at VA facilities.
Business Associate Agreements: What Medical Practices Need to Know
Let's take the mystery out of business associate agreements. Here's when you need to use them and why.
The Real Reason Physicians Must Comply With HIPAA
When it comes to understanding why we need HIPAA compliance, government regulators are on one side of a very wide river, and physicians are on the other.
Health Insurers Using Sneaky Tactics to Intimidate Physicians
The "recredentialing trap," strict payment reviews, and fingerprinting are all underway or on the horizon as ways payers are bullying physicians.