As many may already know, CMS is transiting most Texas providers from Trailblazer to Novitas Solutions, Inc. (Novitas) as part of the MAC JH transition.  With this transition, Novitas requires new Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) form (CMS-588) be completed and submitted for ALL practices and providers.  A notice should arrive to the providers during the…

On July 10, 2012, two members of the Husch Blackwell Healthcare Group, Kate Mihalevich and Cori Turner, presented a webinar on ACO strategic physician alignment billing compliance.  The webinar:

  • highlighted compliance risks associated with ACOs and other physician alignment models; and
  • provided practical suggestions for evaluating and addressing risk in these areas.

To watch…

The Alaska Department of Health and Human Service, the state’s Medicaid agency, has agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) $1.7 million to settle possible violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule.  According to a press release issued by the Office of Civil…

Another major drug company agreed to settle with the Department of Justice (DOJ). GlaxoSmithKline LLC (GSK) agreed to pay a historic $3 billion and plead guilty to resolve its alleged criminal and civil liability arising from the company’s promotion of certain prescription drugs, failure to report certain safety data, and its civil liability for alleged…

Is Your Organization Due for Re-certification by the Texas Medical Board?

If your organization is certified as a non-profit health corporation (formerly known as 5.01(a)s) under the Texas Occupations Code 161.001, your organization is required to submit a biennial report to the Texas Medical Board (TMB). For certified non-profit health organizations that were originally certified…

Clearing a building site inside a crowded city can often be efficiently done by “imploding” existing structures utilizing high explosives.  While the science of demolition by implosion is mature and can be implemented safely, neighboring property owners have legitimate concerns about damage from flying debris, dust, ground vibration and air blast overpressure.  At the same…

On February 22, 2012, the Supreme Court in Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern California vacated and remanded to the Ninth Circuit a series of cases that challenge provider reimbursement cuts in California’s Medicaid program.  At issue in the case was whether providers and recipients had standing to sue state officials under the Supremacy…