Case: Plasma donors filed a class action claiming that a plasma donation company’s use of a donor-identification system based on a donor’s fingerprints and biometric information without consent … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
CLIA Lab Subject to HIPAA Not Necessarily Exempt from State Medical Privacy Law
February 16, 2021
Compliance Perspectives
How to Audit the Effectiveness of Your Lab Compliance Plan
February 7, 2021
If you’re reading this, it’s a pretty good bet that you’ve put a compliance plan into place at your lab. But just how effective is it? To answer this crucial question, you must consider not only what … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
Employee Can’t Blame Positive Marijuana Test on Testing Lab’s Negligence
February 4, 2021
Case: An oil and gas worker was reassigned to a less desirable warehouse position after his hair follicle test came back positive for marijuana. The worker insisted he was clean—his urine drug and … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
Manager Can’t Sue Lab for Disability Discrimination After Signing a Severance Release
December 29, 2020
Case: Things went down hill for a clinical lab manager after he got into a violent confrontation with one of the union stewards representing the phlebotomists he supervised. Two days after the … [Read more...]
Kickbacks
OIG Issues Fraud Alert on Pharmaceutical Company In-Person Speaker Programs
November 27, 2020
Before the pandemic put the chill on live conference events, it was fairly common for pharmaceutical companies, device makers and diagnostics companies to offer healthcare professionals fees for … [Read more...]
Special Report
Final Rules Offer Real Stark and Kickback Relief but Largely Exclude Labs
With its time apparently running out, the Trump administration completed one of its pet projects by finalizing the kickback reform rules it proposed in October 2019. Issued on Nov. 20, the new final … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
Texas Court Nixes Toxicology Labs’ ERISA Beneficiary Unpaid Claims Lawsuit against United Healthcare
November 25, 2020
Case: After United Healthcare denied their claims, plan members assigned their benefits to a pair of toxicology labs who then filed a lawsuit to against United under the federal Employee Benefits … [Read more...]
Compliance Perspectives
What, If Anything, Does OSHA Require You to Do to Protect Telecommuters?
October 13, 2020
While telecommuting is nothing new, the imperative for using it has never been greater. In addition to all the cost-saving, work-life balance, recruiting and hiring advantages, letting employees work … [Read more...]
Labs in Court
OSHA Fines New Jersey Hospital for Coronavirus Respiratory Protection Violations
October 8, 2020
Case: OSHA is proposing to fine the hospital $9,639 for two serious violations: i. Failure to fit test tight-fitting respirators face piece respirators on employees required to use them; and ii. Not … [Read more...]
Compliance Perspectives
Using Waivers to Avoid Getting Sued for COVID-19 Infections
October 8, 2020
PLEASE READ NOTICE TO ALL ENTRANTS AND USERS OF THESE LABORATORY FACILITIES EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY – ASSUMPTION OF RISK THESE CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO … [Read more...]
