Government enforcement efforts have proven successful with yet another Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) case. In this most recent case, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) settled with a New York spinal group over allegations the group failed...
New York Health Care Lawyers Who Have Decades Of Combined Experience
Month: October 2020
Study finds errors in HRRP leading to faulty penalties
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) oversees the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). Lawmakers developed this program to help better ensure the provision of quality, value-based care. To help achieve this goal, the HRRP reviews...
What does my medical practice need to know about HIPAA violations?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) applies to sensitive patient health information. Medical practitioners are wise to understand how this federal law impacts their practice. Three important facts about this law include: #1: Not everyone is...
Age discrimination and medical practice: A case asks tough questions
A 73-year-old surgeon recently filed a case against his former employer. He claims hospital officials discriminated against him based on his age when they had him undergo a neuropsychological and physical exam as well as have a proctor present when he conducted...
NY podiatrist agrees to pay $1.25M to settle FCA claim
Government officials recently accused a local New York City hospital system along with a podiatrist of fraudulent billing practices. The allegations are in connection with a whistleblower lawsuit. The whistleblower brought the claim forward in 2012, stating the...
Anatomy of an OPMC investigation
What happens when a patient, co-worker or other medical professional files a complaint about a physician's work? If the complaint involves allegations of misconduct, the New York Health Department's Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) and state Board for...
Whistleblower begins FCA case against dentist
A former employee recently filed a claim against a dentist. In this claim, the worker does not allege that they were personally injured. In fact, the claim does not even directly involve the worker. Instead, the claim states the dentist and oral surgeon fraudulently...
Tips to reduce liability for telehealth services
The Department of Health and Human Services has relaxed regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), at least temporarily. This allows medical professionals to conduct communications with patients using technology like Zoom and...
3 things diagnostic labs need to know about regulatory compliance
Laws and regulations are present to better ensure diagnostic labs provide quality care. A failure to abide by these regulations can result in serious penalties. There are many government agencies that oversee these regulations. The United States Department of Health...
Lessons from record setting HIPAA fine
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced a $6.85 million settlement with Premera Blue Cross, a private health insurance provider, to settle claims the company violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act...