On June 19, 2010, the Senate unanimously passed legislation, known as the “doc fix”, sparing doctors a 21% cut in Medicare payments until November 30, 2010. However, moments after the Senate acted, Medicare announced it would begin processing claims it has already received for June at the lower rate, which…
On May 26, 2010, CMS published a proposed rule revising the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) to give hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) more flexibility in credentialing and privileging telemedicine physicians and practitioners (while not prohibiting hospitals from continuing to use traditional credentialing and privileging process if they please).…
Today, the Texas Spine & Joint Hospital and Physicians Hospitals of America jointly filed suit in U.S. Federal Court, Eastern District of Texas, challenging the constitutionality of Section 6001 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act. Section 6001 prohibits physician-owned Medicare hospitals from expanding after March 23, 2010,…
It looks like the days of “voluntary” compliance programs are coming to a close. As we discussed in a recent blog, the health care reform bill contained provisions mandating compliance programs. New York providers receiving Medicaid funds have already experienced mandatory compliance obligations as a result of the New York…
Despite efforts by the federal government to boost the ranks of primary-care physicians, an overwhelming number of physicians are choosing specialties other than internal medicine, and research has shown that internists leave the field mid-career at a much higher rate than other specialties. As a result, the shortage of primary-care…
The tax provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Act”) will impact most taxpayers. To simplify matters, it is helpful to separate the changes that will take place in 2010 and 2011 from future changes. Changes in 2010 and 2011: – Starting in 2010, small businesses will…
Effective May 1, 2010, the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke-Free Air Law prohibits smoking in public places, food establishments, and workplaces. The prohibition applies to all health facilities, hospital long-term care units, nursing homes, hospices, and homes for the aged. Business operators must post “no smoking” signs, remove ash trays and…
Medicare requires that services provided/ordered must be authenticated by the author with either a hand written or electronic signature (stamps are not acceptable), although there are a few exceptions: (1) facsimiles of original written/electronic signatures are acceptable for the certification of terminal illness for hospice; (2) some orders do not…
A Detroit-area man plead guilty last week to conspiracy to commit health care fraud in an elaborate kickback operation to recruit Medicare beneficiaries to a clinic owned by his co-conspirators. According to the U.S. Departments of Justice (“DOJ”) and Health and Human Services (“HHS”), Melvin Young recruited Medicare beneficiaries to…
St. Vincent’s Hospital Manhattan, which filed for bankruptcy just two weeks ago with liabilities of over $1 billion, is putting one of its many buildings on the market this week, according to the New York Times. St. Vincent’s owns a number of properties in Greenwich Village. So far, it isn’t…