The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) asked states to submit provider-level Medicaid payment information by Tuesday, May 5. This indicates that there may be a Medicaid-centric distribution of provider relief funds, although the details are still unclear. Industry groups have asked for more focus on Medicaid and criticized the ...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued a joint alert warning that advanced persistent threat (APT) groups are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic as part of their cyber operations seeking to steal “bulk personal information, intellectual property, and ...
The Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Food and Drug Administration have been mounting a coordinated effort to crack down on scams and quack cures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fake COVID-19 treatment claims, misuse of federal stimulus funds, and false claims about cures have proliferated as the pandemic goes on ...
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance to hospitals and clinics reminding them that they must still comply with patient privacy rules during the COVID-19 crisis. In light of media focus, it is particularly important for providers to obtain a valid health privacy authorization from each patient whose protected ...
Between May 1-5, 2020, the Department of Medicaid Services (DMS) updated its Telehealth FAQs. In one of the new FAQs, DMS said that home health agencies can recertify care using telehealth. (FAQ 59, p. 12). However, in another FAQ, DMS said that, after consulting with DMS associated clinicians, it does not see a safe way forward for the viability ...
As reported last week, May 6, 2020 marked the start of Phase II of the reopening of healthcare facilities and services for non-COVID-19-related procedures. In accordance with careful restrictions and requirements, certain outpatient settings such as hospital outpatient facilities, surgical facilities, healthcare clinics, medical ...
As we reported in our April 17, 2020 Newsletter, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) said that seven of the financial relationships that otherwise implicate Stark but are permitted by CMS under its public health emergency (PHE) blanket waivers may still potentially violate the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and expose providers to ...
In late April and the first week of May, Kentucky Governor Beshear introduced the 10 Rules to Reopening and Staying Healthy at Work, as well as, more detailed Minimum Requirements for each rule. The 10 Rules and associated Minimum Requirements will apply to healthcare businesses beginning on Monday, May 11, 2020. The Governor has emphasized in ...
Updated May 22, 2020, by Kathie McDonald-McClure, Partner, and Joseph Profancik, Summer Associate
As we previously reported, on May 11, 2020, Governor Andy Beshear began reopening sectors of Kentucky’s economy, in addition to the healthcare sector, that were closed due to the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency ...
As a result of social distancing in the midst of COVID-19, employees are working remotely now more than ever. One of the many unique challenges facing employers as a result of the increased number of employees working from the confines of their homes is the ever-present risk that an employee could be injured while conducting work-related tasks ...