It was a long shot to begin with. But that doesn't ease the disappointment of what happened in a Washington, DC courtroom when a federal judge tossed a lab industry lawsuit challenging the legality of … [Read more...]
FALSE CLAIMS
PAMA: ACLA Loses Court Lab Fees Battle But May Still Win Regulatory War
October 11, 2018
FALSE CLAIMS
Florida Doctor Jailed 5 Months for Lying to a Medicare Auditor
October 11, 2018
Lying to a Medicare auditor or otherwise obstructing a Medicare audit is a crime that can get you jailed. A 73-year-old endocrinologist specializing in diabetes management just learned that lesson the … [Read more...]
FOCUS ON
Industry Buzz: ACA Constitutionality Is Back in Play
October 11, 2018
After a series of court setbacks, Republicans challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare, aka, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are back at it. And this time they may win. Beating a Dead Horse? The … [Read more...]
STARK LAW
Stark Relief: Comments Urge Change but Don’t Expect Anything Too Dramatic
October 9, 2018
After decades of resistance, CMS is giving serious indications of its willingness to entertain changes to relieve the "undue regulatory impact and burden" imposed by the Stark Law. Back in June, CMS … [Read more...]
HOSPITAL OUTREACH
Case of the Month: Fraud or Legitimate Rural Hospital Lab Outreach Business?
September 26, 2018
A North Carolina lawsuit pitting one of the nation's largest health insurers and a national hospital management company raises novel legal issues that test the legal limits of provider contracts … [Read more...]
FALSE CLAIMS
Dissolution: The Final Act of the Theranos Tragedy
September 26, 2018
Tragedy was a genre invented by the ancient Greeks to portray the fall of not just ordinary but great individuals. And while "Theranos" is not actually a Greek word (it's actually an amalgamation of … [Read more...]
FDA
LDTs: FDA Does an End Run on Regulatory Proposal Lab Industry Helped Create
September 25, 2018
A couple of years ago, the lab industry played an active role in the drafting of the Diagnostic Accuracy and Innovation Act (DAIA), a bill designed to establish a new regulatory regime for laboratory … [Read more...]
CYBERSECURITY
Case of the Month: Alabama Hospital Lab Settles Data Breach Class Action Suit
August 31, 2018
Class action lawsuits by patients victimized by data breaches have become increasingly common. And, more often than not, they prove unsuccessful. But a recent case involving Flowers Hospital in … [Read more...]
DATA
Cybersecurity: LabCorp Reports What Could Be a Major Data Breach
August 22, 2018
Cyberattacks and data breaches against health providers are a daily occurrence. But when the breach takes place at a firm as big and powerful as LabCorp and potentially affects the health records of … [Read more...]
INDUSTRY TRENDS
Industry Report: Venture Capitalists Remain High on Healthcare
August 22, 2018
Healthcare startups remain highly attractive to venture capitalists drawing $10.6 billion in investments in the first half of 2018, the most of any industry sector other than internet companies and … [Read more...]
