On March 28, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury collectively issued final rules with respect to short-term and limited duration insurance (STLDI) plans in an effort to reduce healthcare costs by protecting consumers from purchasing such “junk” health plans that may provide little to no coverage in many scenarios. …

Marc S. Ullman, of counsel to Rivkin Radler, wrote the March 28 article “FDA sends a message with two warning letters to Amazon” in Natural Products Insider.

In the article, Marc explains the importance of the FDA warning letters on homeopathic “supplements” and products that contain active pharmaceutical ingredients. Marc writes, “During the…

Rivkin Radler’s Frank Izzo and Jeff Ehrhardt authored an article in the Spring 2024 issue of USLAW magazine, “New York Joins List of States Prohibiting Geofencing Near Healthcare Facilities.” The article discussed geofencing laws, enacted partly in response to the Supreme Court Dobbs decision, in depth by state.

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The owner of Bergen Alliance Counseling Services in Paramus, New Jersey pleaded guilty to a run-of-the-mill healthcare fraud scheme in District Court in Newark on March 19. Maria Cosentino of Garfield, a licensed clinical social worker, admitted to billing private healthcare programs for counseling sessions that did not take place.

The practice provided counseling services…

A New York acupuncturist recently admitted to billing Amtrak’s health care benefit plan for services that were never provided and were medically unnecessary. From January 2019 through June 2022, Punson Figueroa of Long Island City, New York paid Amtrak employees hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks in order to use their personal and…

On February 26, David Weathers of the Bronx pleaded guilty in federal court in New Jersey for his role in a COVID-19 kickback conspiracy. The government had charged Weathers with soliciting kickbacks in return for referrals of COVID-19 test samples, in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS).

At the other end of the scheme…

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey recently announced a $750,000 settlement with Sentynl Therapeutics Inc., a California-based specialty pharmaceutical company. The settlement resolved allegations that Sentynl improperly provided kickbacks to a physician to induce prescriptions of its opioid products in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS).

The Government alleged that…

A March 11 article in Part B News, “Warning: Minor Errors Can Mean Big Takebacks for AWV Claims,” discussed how compliance shortcomings can cause problems for claims to Medicare for annual wellness visits (AWVs). Rivkin Radler’s Mary Aperance was quoted in the article.

“Routine internal audits should be conducted to hone in…

On March 4, the New York Attorney General announced an $8.6 million settlement with Fulton Commons Care Center, a nursing home located in East Meadow, NY. The settlement resolves an action brought against Fulton in 2022 claiming financial fraud, physical abuse, mistreatment of residents, and covering up resident complaints.

The AG had previously sued the…