Healthcare Policy

New legislation concerning telemedicine will soon provide new opportunities for physicians. 

Mothers have a right to breastfeed in public - and in your practice, so find a way to make mothers, other patients and staff comfortable.

A recent False Claims Act settlement and a healthcare fraud takedown in Texas highlight the need for compliance and vigilance.

Social media is a great way to connect with other physicians and patients, but it’s also a platform where you could injure a third party’s reputation or where someone could injure yours. Learn what defamation is and when you might need to seek legal counsel.

The law requires patients have access to their medical records in a timely fashion and at a nominal fee. Is your practice in a position to comply?

Most physician compensation structures must comply with Stark laws. The danger is that practices may be in violation without realizing it, putting themselves at risk of fines and exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid.

You protect yourself against medical malpractice, but are you protected against medical board complaints?

Recent cases underscore that what a medical director is paid must be of fair market value and the CMS duty requirements must be met.

You need to promote your practice, but you also need to get the word out in a way that is also legal.

In the eyes of the law, prescribing opioids for patients with chronic pain means upholding ethical standards of professional conduct, not following a checklist.

Privacy has always been as important as security. Biometrics add a new area for physicians and healthcare providers to watch.

Substandard care can lead to reduced payments for hospitals with excess readmissions.

Physician practices in states with legalized medical marijuana or recreational marijuana need to consider how to draft policies detailing physician usage.

The Department of Justice is taking action, so make sure you have an adequate compliance program in place.

A recent HIPAA fine and HHS’s healthcare app guidance underscore the importance of conducting risk analyses to protect personal health information.

The dream of expanding your practice can be a reality-if you plan carefully.

Hospitals across the country are purchasing private practices even though patients prefer AND receive better care from independent physicians.

The way you apologize may have different implications, depending on how providers say it.

A recent court ruling illustrates the risk of failing to place behavioral health coverage needs ahead of financial interest.

The government is lowering its civil monetary penalties under the HITECH Act.

There are multiple reasons pass-through billing is illegal and fraudulent-and easy to catch. 

Is your practice compliant with the Eliminating Kickbacks and Recovery Act of 2018 (EKRA)? If you don't know what EKRA is, you are not alone-and that is part of the problem.

Nosy employees poking around in medical records or sharing passwords can put your practice at risk of HIPAA violations, lawsuits, and broken agreements with affiliate hospitals or practices.

The leading cause of physician burnout also puts patients at risk of medical errors, the third leading cause of death in the United States.

The government’s change to the H-1B process could negatively impact thousands of physicians who wish to practice in rural communities and intensify the growing physician shortage.

Parsing out the various terms used in relation to a patient’s health record can be daunting. Here’s a primer to make the process less intimidating

The legality of caring for minor patients once they turn 18.

Recent False Claims Act settlement underscores the importance of accurate Meaningful Use attestations.

It’s great that you want to share the wealth with your nonphysician employees. Just make sure you draft a policy that also meets state and federal laws.

A look back at notable U.S. Department of Justice settlements and policy directives to see what lies ahead for 2019.