The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a new Medicare Learning Network “MLN Matters” education document to remind applicable providers and suppliers about the need to timely report provider...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued the Medicaid Fraud Control Units Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report in May 2017. The Annual Report is based on analysis of statistical...more
On January 13, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule revising the conditions of participation (CoPs) for home health agencies to participate in and qualify for the Medicare and...more
During its most recent session, the Georgia legislature passed SB16, expanding Georgia’s Medical Cannabis Bill, “Haleigh’s Hope Act” (the “Act”), which legalized the possession of low THC oil for individuals with certain...more
On March 30, 2017, the Georgia State Senate voted to pass SB41, which amends the Georgia Pharmacy Practice Act, regulating the practice of pharmacy in the state of Georgia. After passing both the House and Senate, the bill is...more
President Donald Trump’s action to repeal 2010’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) should not be a surprise. After all, President Trump, along with many other candidates for office, made repeal of the ACA a...more
Applications and change requests for all facilities licensed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are being transitioned to the Centralized Applications Unit and may take upwards of six months to...more
On August 10, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it has incorporated five new quality measures to the calculations for its nursing home Five-Star Quality Ratings. The five measures are now...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made changes to important written guidance to Medicare providers by issuing a Change Request on June 24, 2016, to Chapter 15 of its Program Integrity Manual (titled “Medicare...more
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) issued a letter on May 25, 2016, commenting on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule relating to payment updates for skilled nursing facilities...more
After reviewing Medicare and Medicaid enrollment and revalidation applications, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report titled Enhanced Enrollment Screening of...more
Tennessee’s governor, Bill Haslam, has signed legislation that will significantly change the state’s certificate of need (CON) laws. The changes include revised requirements for multiple services regulated by CON, including...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Division of Enrollment Operations is beginning Cycle 2 of the provider and supplier revalidation process, as required under Section 6401 (a) of the Affordable Care Act. CMS...more
A bill introduced last week in the Georgia General Assembly sought to eliminate the state’s Certificate of Need (“CON”) program, which has been in place since 1979. The CON program’s goals are: “(1) to measure and define...more
On February 1, 2016, the Utah Legislature's House Health and Human Services Committee debated proposed legislation permitting an assisted living facility resident, or their representative, to install a video or audio...more
In yet another move emphasizing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) focus on quality health care, the agency has released the first patient experience of care star ratings on Home Health Compare. ...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has implemented a revised payment system for Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs). The changes, which became effective on October 1, define two separate payment categories for...more
Massachusetts regulators recently announced new rules that, if adopted, will change the requirements for nursing home sales and closures in the state. The proposed new rules require nursing home owners intending to sell a...more
U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) requested in a letter dated July 8, 2015 that the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) undertake a review of...more