The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on November 16 that two pharmacy owners from Forest Hills, New York have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering through submission of fraudulent claims to Medicare during the COVID-19 pandemic. The co-conspirators owned over a dozen pharmacies in the New York area, through which they submitted
COVID-19
HHS Extends COVID-19 PHE Again
By Eric Fader on
On October 13, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra formally renewed the federal COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) for another 90 days. The PHE, which originally went into effect on January 31, 2020, provides important flexibilities for healthcare providers, including expanding the types of telehealth services that are reimbursable for
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Employer Alert: First Deadline to Claim NYS Healthcare Worker Bonus is September 2
As part of its 2023 state budget, New York State has allocated $1.2 billion for the payment of bonuses to certain frontline healthcare workers. This bonus program is intended to reward healthcare workers for their services during the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote employee retention and recruitment in the healthcare sector. Qualified employers who wish…
HHS Renews COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Again
By Eric Fader on
On July 15, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra formally extended the COVID-19 public health emergency for another 90 days. The PHE, which originally went into effect in January 2020, provides important flexibilities for healthcare providers, including expanding the types of telehealth services that are reimbursable for Medicare beneficiaries and
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HHS Issues Guidance on Provider Use of Audio-Only Telehealth
By Mary Connolly on
On June 13, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance to explain how audio-only telehealth can comply with HIPAA, while also emphasizing that this mode of telehealth services can expand healthcare access to individuals who may have limited internet and broadband capabilities.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020,…
Prepare and Monitor: Take Extra Steps when the Patient’s a Medical Tourist
By Rivkin Rounds Staff on
An article published on May 16 in Part B News, “Prepare and monitor: Take extra steps when the patient’s a medical tourist,” discussed issues that U.S. medical practices can face when a patient receives medical treatment abroad. The medical tourism industry has been growing rapidly, led by a demand for cosmetic surgery…
OIG Issues Favorable Opinion for Providing Free Smartphones to Patients to Promote Telehealth Services
By Ada Janocinska on
The increased use of telehealth services is a trend that is expected to continue long after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. In keeping with this trend, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently issued a favorable Advisory Opinion that allowed a federally qualified health center (FQHC) to provide free…
21 Charged in Federal COVID-19 Fraud Sweep
By Eric Fader on
On April 20, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced criminal charges against 21 people across the country for COVID-19-related frauds. The defendants are accused of over $149 million in false billings to federal programs and thefts from federally funded pandemic assistance programs.
Some of the defendants, in California, New York and Maryland, allegedly obtained…
HHS Extends COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Again
By Eric Fader on
On April 12, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra extended the COVID-19 public health emergency for another 90 days. The PHE had been scheduled to expire on April 16.
The PHE originally went into effect in January 2020, at the onset of the pandemic. It provides important flexibilities for healthcare providers,…
GAO Recommends that CMS Review Effects of Telehealth on Quality of Care
In a report published on March 31, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) begin to collect and analyze information about any effect telehealth has on the quality of care for Medicaid beneficiaries. CMS does not currently collect or analyze this information, nor does it have…