A March 11 article in the Health Care Compliance Association’s Report on Patient Privacy, “In Wake of 16th OCR Settlement, Time For CEs, BAs to Take Right of Access Seriously,” discussed the Right of Access Initiative that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been pursuing since
Smart Speakers Can Monitor Heartbeats
Researchers from the University of Washington have developed a system that uses smart speakers and machine learning algorithms to monitor heartbeats without the need for physical contact. The system was described in a study published in Communications Biology.
When a person sits within two feet of a smart speaker, the system sends out inaudible
False Claims Act Cases Poised to Jump Now and for Years to Come
Rivkin Radler’s Evan H. Krinick wrote an article entitled “False Claims Act Cases Poised to Jump Now and for Years to Come” that was published in the March 5, 2021 issue of the New York Law Journal. The article discusses health insurance fraud cases in 2020 that involved kickbacks, provision of medically
HIPAA Right of Access Initiative Marches On
For those providers who somehow missed or ignored the first 15 settlements in the series, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced that Sharp HealthCare, doing business as Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Centers, agreed to pay a $70,000 fine for failing to provide a patient with timely access
Provider Relief Fund Audits Coming
A February 15 article in Part B News, “Provider Relief Fund audits coming; pick your method and keep good records,” discussed the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Rivkin Radler’s Bob Iseman was quoted in the article.
Healthcare providers who received PRF
Flo Health Settles with FTC Over Privacy Violations
Flo Health, Inc., which markets a menstrual and ovulation tracking app, recently entered into a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to dispose of charges that Flo improperly shared consumer data with third parties, including Facebook and Google. The disclosure of the data, which included pregnancy status and sexual history of more than 100
California Laboratory Settles FCA Claims Related to Genetic Testing
Exceltox Laboratories, LLC, a California diagnostic laboratory, is paying a $357,584 settlement to resolve allegations of False Claims Act (FCA) violations. Exceltox allegedly submitted or caused to be submitted claims for genetic tests to Medicare without valid physician oversight.
In 2015, Exceltox engaged an independent contractor, Seth Rehfuss, who persuaded residents of low-income senior housing
HHS Relaxes Rules on Administering COVID-19 Vaccines
On January 28, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it has amended the Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to expand the types of providers that are qualified to prescribe, dispense and administer COVID-19 vaccines. Under the amendment, any healthcare provider that is licensed or
Two Indicted in $100 Million Home Health Care Fraud Scheme
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on February 1 that an owner and operator of Arbor Homecare Services LLC and a nurse employed by the home health agency were indicted for their roles in a scheme to defraud MassHealth and Medicare of at least $100 million. The Massachusetts agency allegedly routinely billed the government
EHR Vendor to Pay $18.25 Million to Resolve Kickback Allegations
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on January 28 that athenahealth Inc., a Massachusetts-based electronic health records (EHR) technology vendor, has agreed to pay $18.25 million to resolve allegations that it paid illegal kickbacks to generate sales of its EHR product, athenaClinicals. The settlement is the government’s latest reminder that marketing initiatives that are