By clicking on any of the links below you agree that you are the the only person who is accessing your single user LCA subscription license and that you are not sharing your username and password with … [Read more...]
Current Issue of LCA
July 30, 2021
Before You Download Please read the following user agreement and confirm your acceptance of the terms before you download LCA content: I agree that I am the the only person who is accessing my … [Read more...]
Enforcement Trends
Federal Courts Split on Government Dismissals of Qui Tam Claims
July 29, 2021
In 2018, the Justice Department (DOJ) ordered US Attorneys to aggressively seek dismissal of False Claims Act (FCA) whistleblower qui tam lawsuits that lack merit or don’t serve the government’s … [Read more...]
Coding Alert
CMS Adds New PLA Oncology, ELISA, Reproductive Codes to HCPCS
July 28, 2021
CMS added seven new PLA codes to the HCPCS files, effective July 1, 2021, which will be contractor-priced based on local rates until they undergo the CLFS annual payment determination process for … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
University of Miami Settles Lab Testing False Claim Charges for $22 Million
July 27, 2021
Case: In this particular case, “The U” stands for unnecessary, as in medically unnecessary lab tests billed to Medicare by the University of Miami’s lab and off campus hospital-based facilities. The … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
Texas Says Employee Can Sue Testing Lab for Botching Random Drug Test Required by Employer
July 18, 2021
Case: A pipefitter who got fired after flunking a random drug test sued the testing lab and provider that collected the hair follicle sample for negligence. The defendants claimed that they owed a … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
Texas Provider Pays $214K for Violating Federal COVID-19 Workplace Protocols
July 6, 2021
Case: In what appears to be a first, the Texas parent of an Iowa nursing home has agreed to repay $214,200 in federal monies for not following COVID-19 safety protocols during an outbreak at the … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
Florida Telemarketers Indicted for $47 Million Genetic Test Fraud Scheme
June 30, 2021
Case: A federal grand jury indicted three telemarketing company owners for a smorgasbord of fraud, kickback and money laundering violations that allegedly cost Medicare $47 million medically … [Read more...]
TOOL
Tool: Model COVID-19 Workplace Hazard Assessment Policy
June 30, 2021
Among other things, the new OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requires labs and other covered employers to conduct a workplace hazard assessment to identify COVID-19 hazards. Here’s a Model … [Read more...]
Whistleblowers
“Staying” Discovery Can Save Your Lab Tens of Thousands of Dollars in Baseless Qui Tam Cases
June 28, 2021
The False Claims Act (FCA) litigation process is so time-consuming and expensive that just about any whistleblower lawsuit against your lab is a losing proposition, even if you ultimately prevail in … [Read more...]
