Myth: Risk of federal prosecution for health fraud and abuse applies only when you deal with Medicare, TRICARE or other federal health programs. Truth: While that used to be true, the times they are … [Read more...]
ENFORCEMENT
Compliance Perspectives: Feds Using Medicare Laws to Prosecute Non-Medicare Arrangements
May 23, 2019
SELF-DISCLOSURE
Compliance Perspectives: How the New OIG Fraud Risk Indicator System Heightens the Imperative of Self-Disclosure
April 23, 2019
As hard as you try to keep your lab 100% compliant with healthcare fraud and abuse laws, you may discover that an inadvertent violation has occurred. At that point, the compliance imperative switches … [Read more...]
COMPLIANCE
Compliance Alert: FDA Warning Letter to Inova Genomics Laboratory
April 15, 2019
By Danielle Sloane bio and Elaine Naughton bio Despite it being a continual topic of discussion, the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") enforcement in the realm of laboratory developed tests … [Read more...]
FALSE CLAIMS
Compliance Perspectives: How to Spot & Avoid Kickback Risks under New EKRA Law
April 1, 2019
A new law passed to deal with the opioid epidemic has significant ramifications for labs including but not limited to those involved in drug addiction and recovery programs. Specifically, the … [Read more...]
COMPLIANCE PERSPECTIVES
Compliance Perspectives: CMS Reviews PAMA Reporting Basics for Hospital Outreach Labs
February 25, 2019
PAMA reporting is tricky business in which mistakes and omissions carry the risk of civil monetary penalties of up to $10,000 per day. So, whether you're with a freestanding lab that's been through … [Read more...]
OSHA
Compliance Perspectives: A 10-Step Compliance Strategy for OSHA Recordkeeping Rules
February 5, 2019
January is the season when employers must compile their OSHA logs for the previous year. The good news is that many labs are exempt from these requirements. Here's an overview of the OSHA … [Read more...]
LEGISLATION
New Broad All-Payor Kickback Law Impacting Laboratories, Commission-based Compensation and more
January 14, 2019
By Danielle Sloane bio and Chris Climo bio In a recent piece of federal legislation intended to address the opioid crisis across the United States, Congress enacted a new all-payor kickback … [Read more...]
HEALTH CARE REFORM
Compliance Perspectives: PAMA Pitfalls & Survival Strategies
December 31, 2018
PAMA's deep Medicare reimbursement cuts have had a devastating impact on the lab industry. Recent CMS changes in the 2019 Final Rule should provide a degree of pricing relief but not until 2021. In … [Read more...]
MANAGING STAFF
Compliance Perspective: The Duty to Accommodate the Religious Beliefs of Employees & Job Applicants
November 12, 2018
YOU MAKE THE CALL SITUATION: A worker notifies management that he can't comply with hospital policy requiring all workers to get an annual flu shot because of his religion. He asks for permission to … [Read more...]
MANAGING STAFF
Compliance Perspective: Keeping Employee from Damaging Your Lab on Social Media
August 27, 2018
In the cyber age, protecting your lab from the potential threat posed by employee blogging, tweeting, Instagramming and other social networking is a business imperative. But how? To find out, keep … [Read more...]
