Health Care

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published an alert on Monday describing a phishing campaign disguised as an email from OCR. The email is being circulated on mock HHS letterhead under the signature of OCR's Director Jocelyn Samuels and is being sent to HIPAA covered entities and their business associates.

There has been much controversy over the Medicare Part B payment demonstration proposed by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) in March 2016.

Republicans have been talking about remodeling the Medicaid program through block grants or per capita caps for years. Both block grants and per capita caps are designed to limit federal spending by providing a state with a set amount of federal money to fund its Medicaid program.

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”), created in 1997, helps states provide health care coverage to low-income children up to age 19 whose families fall above the Medicaid eligibility threshold but are unable to afford private insurance.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) continues its efforts to revise its regulations to comply with Executive Order 562, which requires all state agencies to review its regulations.

Most of the post-election discussion of the ACA has focused on how promises to repeal the law could impact the newly insured. But one priority area of the ACA that has received very little discussion is the federal government's strategy to try to reign in health care costs by reducing volume and promoting quality.

As we’ve previously reported, the FDA has recently been forced to reexamine its legal position and enforcement policies related to drug and device manufacturers’ off-label communications.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Medicare and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) provided the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the newly created Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) tremendous authority.  With Republicans set to take control of both the White House and Congress, the future of that authority is very much in question.

As is well known, drug prices have been widely discussed nationally. They have been the subject of Congressional hearings and, in the case of Mylan, a high profile settlement.

As we look ahead to the 115th Congress, Republicans are likely to take up repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act.  Repeal and Replace is more accurately described as a transition where Republicans design a version of health care reform they will own and defend. 

In non-election news, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services recently released its November Cyber Awareness Newsletter. 

Last week, the OIG posted its Work Plan for 2017.  In it, the OIG announced many goals touching on programs including, but not limited to, Medicare, Medicaid, Insurance Marketplace (Health Exchanges), Indian Health Service, TANF and Head Start.  Below are some of the OIG’s action items that Medicare Advantage and Part D plans should be aware of.

As we look ahead to the 115th Congress, Republicans are likely to take up repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Repeal and Replace is more accurately described as a transition where Republicans design a version of health care reform they will own and defend.

As we look ahead to the 115th Congress, Republicans are likely to take up repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act. Repeal and replace is more accurately described as a transition where Republicans design a version of health care reform they will own and defend.

On November 7, 2016, FDA announced in the Federal Register its plan to research methods for including risk information about pharmaceutical and medical device products in promotional Internet communications that have character space limitations, such as sponsored links and microblogs.

For the last six years, Republicans have talked about repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act. The election outcome now puts Republicans in a position of authority to take action on the Affordable Care Act.  As we look ahead to the 115th Congress, it is important to move away from political rhetoric and consider what can actually be achieved as a matter of public policy.

Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued another round of proposed amendments to its regulations, continuing the Baker Administration’s regulatory reform efforts. Today, we take a closer look at the proposed amendments to the proposed regulations governing the licensure of hospice programs.

CMS issued its Audit Protocols and Data Requests for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans on November 4, 2016 (the “Protocols”). The Protocols have been updated based on the over 500 comments CMS received in response to the draft released in June.

Today, our colleagues at ML Strategies released their first look at what the results of Tuesday's election mean for health care. The client alert addresses both the lame duck session and what to expect in 2017 and beyond.

At yesterday's Public Health Council meeting, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) released yet another round of proposed regulatory amendments. On deck were regulations concerning Long Term Care Facilities, Hospice Programs, and Temporary Nursing Service Agencies, as well as requirements for Training of Nurses’ Aides in Long-Term Care Facilities.