Hospices and the False Claims Act Series

The False Claims Act (FCA) is the government’s most serious weapon to combat fraud in the healthcare community, and hospices are increasingly the target of FCA investigations and lawsuits. The United States Supreme Court is, for the first time, considering FCA cases involving hospices and certifications of terminal

Strategic Restructuring for the Future: Exploring How Hospices Are Using Joint Ventures, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Service Diversification to Transform

Change, transformation, disruption: whatever you want to call it, it’s happening in the hospice industry over the next 5 years. It is unquestionable that the carve-in to Medicare Advantage, the rise of value-based care and steady market consolidation is changing the playing field. How do hospices respond? In this series, we explore how hospices are and can restructure their businesses. We discuss the opportunities and limits of different models: palliative care, affiliations for payor contracting or the more transformative change brought through a merger or acquisition. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, hospices can explore new ways of being. We are excited to guide you on this road and hope these conversations help as you explore these important questions within your organization and determine your best path into the future.

Surprise! This morning a federal court in Missouri has ordered the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) not to enforce the vaccine mandate in these states: Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Watch for the CMS/Biden Administration response today!

This month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) applicable to employers of 100 or more employees. The ETS requires employers to adopt a vaccine mandate obligating employees to either get vaccinated or to undergo regular COVID-19 testing.

What is the latest on vaccine mandates? In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske is joined by colleague Tom O’Day to discuss the newly released OSHA and CMS rules. They’ll uncover the surprises, discuss how to implement the requirements and analyze the challenges that may be on the horizon for hospices. Tune in to this lively and helpful conversation: https://lnkd.in/eaxixFYD

Update: November 18, 2021

Missed yesterday’s discussion around issues covered employers must consider under OSHA’s mandates and the steps employers should take to comply with the ETS? The webinar recording is now available for viewing at your convenience. Simply register using the following link and you will have access to the recorded webcast: https://bit.ly/3oH0aO7

Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Live Webinar | Noon – 1:00 p.m. CST 

REGISTER

OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) is now effective, and employees who work for covered employers have until January 4, 2022 to get vaccinated or to otherwise comply with the new requirements.

Friday, November 12, 2021
Live Webinar | Noon – 1:00 p.m. CST
REGISTER NOW

On November 4, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an advance copy of the Interim Final Rule (IFR) related to COVID-19 vaccines for most of the entities covered by applicable Conditions of Participation, Conditions for Coverage or Requirements for Participation. Join Husch Blackwell attorneys for an update and a closer look at the requirements for covered entities. Preview our recent Legal Alert on this topic.

On November 4, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an advance copy of the Interim Final Rule (IFR) related to COVID-19 vaccines for most of the entities covered by applicable Conditions of Participation, Conditions for Coverage or Requirements for Participation.

There were no major surprises when the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and physician fee schedule (PFS) Final Rules were released on November 2, 2021, but there are still several financial and compliance areas that healthcare providers must prepare for as we head into 2022. Today’s update provides a brief summary of the