CMS was unable to determine whether hospitals were maintaining quality and safety standards during the COVID-19 crisis. And unless changes are made to its regulatory powers, it won’t be able to make … [Read more...]
WORKPLACE SAFETY
CMS Couldn’t Verify Hospital Safety During COVID and Won’t Be Able to Do So in Next Pandemic
July 29, 2021
Utilization Management
Congress Moves to Limit Prior Authorization Protocols of Medicare Advantage Plans
May 19, 2021
Prior authorization has been a perennial source of friction between payors and providers. While payors have a legitimate need to ensure program integrity and manage utilization of covered health … [Read more...]
Compliance Perspectives
Can You Require Lab Workers to Get the COVID-19 Vaccination?
January 6, 2021
Although it’s clearly a positive development for the world at large, the almost miraculous emergence of a vaccine for COVID-19 in less than a year poses legal challenges for employers in general and … [Read more...]
LAB OPERATIONS
Earning our Spot on the Patient-Centered Care Team
August 12, 2019
By Jennifer Dawson, MHA, FACHE, CPHQ, LSSBB, DLM(ASCP)SLS, QIHC, QLC bio There is a lot of talk these days about integrating the laboratory into patient-centered care teams1 and about … [Read more...]
COMPLIANCE PLANS
OIG Monthly Work Plan Review: July 2019
July 29, 2019
This month there is only one new Work Plan item. Although it doesn't directly impact laboratory operations, it may be of interest to some labs. Quality of Maternal Healthcare in Indian Health Service … [Read more...]
COMPLIANCE PLANS
OIG Monthly Work Plan Review: June 2019
July 22, 2019
This month, there were seven new Work Plan items. Two of these, detailed below, may have implications for some labs. Opioid Use in Medicare Part D in 2018 Issue: The opioid crisis remains a public … [Read more...]
FDA
New FDA Guidance Tells IVD Makers How to Test for Biotin Interference
July 16, 2019
On June 13, the FDA issued a draft guidance explaining how makers of in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDs) should perform biotin interference testing and communicate testing results to labs, clinicians … [Read more...]
FOCUS ON
New Project Aims to Provide Legal Guidance Needed to Do Business in Genomics
July 1, 2019
Technology changes faster than the laws designed to regulate it. Thus, while DNA testing has changed medicine and fueled growth in the lab industry, it has also created new legal challenges that few … [Read more...]
COMPLIANCE PLANS
OIG Monthly Work Plan Review: May 2019
May 23, 2019
Of the three new items in this month's OIG Work Plan items, one may have implications for some labs. Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment at Health Centers Issue: Medication-assisted … [Read more...]
FALSE CLAIMS
Chicago Doctor Indicted for Approving Medically Unnecessary In-Home Tests
February 1, 2019
Case: Working out of a Chicago-based clinic, a doctor allegedly prescribed and authorized ultrasounds, percutaneous allergen and nerve transmission for Medicare patients even though he knew the … [Read more...]
