With all that 2020 has brought, the Information Blocking Rule that came out of the Cures Act was under the radar of many hospices. Thankfully, HHS extended the compliance date for the Rule to April 5, 2021, from November 2, 2020. With this additional time, hospices need to evaluate how they will achieve compliance; what policies they need to update; the work they need to do with their EMR vendor; and their rollout to patients, families and staff. In this conversation, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske is joined by colleagues Wakaba Tessier, Tracey Toll and Kelsey Anderson to gain their insights on these questions and more. Tune into the episode here: https://bit.ly/37x9TOi

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Photo of Meg S.L. Pekarske Meg S.L. Pekarske

Meg has devoted her legal practice to serving the everchanging legal needs of the hospice industry. As chair of Husch Blackwell’s Hospice and Palliative Care Practice Group, she manages the firm’s hospice practice. In working day in and day out with hospice clients

Meg has devoted her legal practice to serving the everchanging legal needs of the hospice industry. As chair of Husch Blackwell’s Hospice and Palliative Care Practice Group, she manages the firm’s hospice practice. In working day in and day out with hospice clients across the country, Meg is intimately familiar with the operational challenges of hospices and has the experience to address the full spectrum of legal issues facing the industry, from routine regulatory compliance issues to multimillion dollar Zone Program Integrity Contractor (ZPIC), Medicaid and other government audits. Additionally, Meg routinely advises hospices on palliative care program development, innovative inpatient unit structures, fraud investigations and a wide range of contracting issues. With an extensive background in long-term care, Meg brings a unique perspective and skill set to helping hospices create successful partnerships with nursing homes and assisted living facilities and providing quality end-of-life care to patients.

Photo of Wakaba Tessier Wakaba Tessier

Wakaba’s work requires mastery not just of the law but also the rapidly changing healthcare marketplace and its many regulations. She focuses on the unique issues faced by specialty pharmacies, such as licensing and other compliance challenges.

Photo of Tracey Toll Tracey Toll

Tracey focuses her practice on healthcare and regulatory compliance and works with a wide range of clients, including pharmacies, durable medical equipment suppliers, home health agencies, and hospitals. She advises clients on state and federal regulatory and compliance issues, transactional matters, licensure issues…

Tracey focuses her practice on healthcare and regulatory compliance and works with a wide range of clients, including pharmacies, durable medical equipment suppliers, home health agencies, and hospitals. She advises clients on state and federal regulatory and compliance issues, transactional matters, licensure issues, and Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement procedures.

Photo of Kelsey Toledo Kelsey Toledo

Kelsey works closely with hospitals, health systems, cooperatives, health care associations, physician specialty groups, assisted living facilities, clinical laboratories, and durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers on a wide range of healthcare compliance issues including:

  • False Claims Act (FCA)
  • Anti-Kickback

Kelsey works closely with hospitals, health systems, cooperatives, health care associations, physician specialty groups, assisted living facilities, clinical laboratories, and durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers on a wide range of healthcare compliance issues including:

  • False Claims Act (FCA)
  • Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS)
  • Physician Self-Referral Law (Stark Law)
  • Licensing
  • Medicare and Medicaid enrollment and payment
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)