The Supreme Court’s decision last week in the companion cases of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce overturned the Court’s prior precedent in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., and, in the process, upended 40 years of administrative law practice by requiring a court that
Health Care Industry Events
Reed Smith’s Ninth Annual Washington Health Care Conference is Here!
Taking a quick break from your regularly scheduled health policy and litigation analysis to let you know, if you want to get some of this analysis in person straight from the authors of this blog (along with CLE credit!), we are hosting our Ninth Annual Washington Health Care Conference in beautiful downtown Washington D.C. on…
FCA enforcement going strong in 2022, particularly in declined health care qui tams
On February 16, 2023, the Federal Bar Association (FBA) kicked off its sixth annual Qui Tam Conference with its customary “Year in Review” panel, which spotlighted the key False Claims Act (FCA) decisions and developments from 2022. Consistent with the annual press release and FCA recovery statistics issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier this month, the panel made clear that despite lower recoveries, 2022 was a busy and important year for FCA enforcement.
For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, total FCA recoveries surpassed $2.2 billion. Although this number represented a drop of more than 50% from 2021 when FCA recoveries exceeded $5.7 billion due to several high-profile settlements, 2022 saw a record amount of FCA enforcement activity, with 948 new FCA matters initiated, and 351 settlements and judgments under the FCA: the second-highest number recorded in a single year.Continue Reading FCA enforcement going strong in 2022, particularly in declined health care qui tams
Speakers from WebMD, CMS, PhRMA, AdvaMed, AHCA, and More to Present at Reed Smith’s Dec. 4 Washington Health Care Conference
Reed Smith is hosting its 6th Annual Washington Health Care Conference on December 4, 2019 at The Almas Center in Washington, D.C., and is pleased to welcome another impressive line-up of speakers this year.
Our keynote speaker is Dr. John Whyte, Chief Medical Officer of WebMD, who will be discussing “Artificial Intelligence in Health Care: Disrupt but Don’t Be Disruptive.”
The conference also includes a particularly timely panel on the proposed rules to modernize Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute. Our presenters include: Lisa Wilson, Senior Technical Advisor to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; David Gregory, Principal, Healthcare Practice, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause; Nancy Bonifant Halstead, Partner, Reed Smith; and moderator Nicole Aiken-Shaban, Senior Associate, Reed Smith.
We’re also pleased to be offering a session with representatives from major associations on how the industry is preparing for the next major shift in the health delivery continuum. Our presenters include: Terry Chang, MD, JD, Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, and Director, Legal & Medical Affairs, AdvaMed; Clif Porter, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, AHCA; Julie Wagner, Senior Assistant General Counsel, PhRMA; Katie Mahoney, Vice President, Health Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and moderator Elizabeth Carder-Thompson, Senior Counsel, Reed Smith.
Additional conference sessions include:
Continue Reading Speakers from WebMD, CMS, PhRMA, AdvaMed, AHCA, and More to Present at Reed Smith’s Dec. 4 Washington Health Care Conference
CMS Call on Hospital Compare Overall Star Ratings Methodology (June 24)
CMS is hosting a call on June 24, 2015 to discuss its proposed methodology for determining publicly-reported Hospital Compare Overall Star Ratings. The target audience for the call includes hospitals, consumers, researchers, reporters, and hospital associations.
CMS Schedules August 24-25, 2015 OPPS Advisory Panel Meeting
CMS has announced that it is holding a meeting of the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment on August 24-25, 2015. The purpose of the Panel is to advise HHS and CMS on the clinical integrity of the Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) groups and their associated weights and hospital outpatient therapeutic services supervision issues.…
CMS Call: Potential Elimination of CMS and DIF Forms (May 27)
CMS is hosting a Special Open Door Forum call on May 27, 2015 to discuss eliminating the Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN) and Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Information (DIF) forms. Comments on the forms also can be sent to ReducingProviderBurden@cms.hhs.gov.
Medicare Shared Savings Program Applications for January 1, 2016 Start Date
CMS is proceeding with the application process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program for the January 1, 2016 program start date. Applicants interested in participating must submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by May 29, 2015, and complete the application by July 31, 2015. A CMS call regarding the Shared Savings Program application review…
CMS Call on Hospice Quality Reporting (June 17)
CMS is hosting a June 17, 2015 provider call to discuss the Hospice Quality Reporting Program and the new Hospice Item Set (HIS) Manual (V1.02). The target audience includes quality staff at Medicare-certified hospice programs, including quality and compliance staff, and Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program coordinators.
CMS Call: ICD-10 Implementation and ICD-10-PCS Section X (June 18)
CMS is hosting a call on June 18, 2015 to present strategies and resources to prepare for ICD-10 implementation. The call will also provide an overview of ICD-10-PCS Section X for new technologies, which will be used by hospitals.
CMS Call: National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and QAPI (June 16)
On June 16, CMS is holding a call on the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI). The target audience for the call is consumer and advocacy groups, nursing home providers, the surveyor community, prescribers, professional associations, and other interested stakeholders.
CMS Call: Medicare Acute Care Quality and Reporting Programs (May 12)
On May 12, 2015, CMS is hosting a call that will provide an overview of all Medicare hospital inpatient quality reporting and value-based purchasing programs. Specifically, the call will cover: the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program; the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) Program; the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP); the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program…
CMS Schedules July 16 Meeting on Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Payments
CMS has just announced that it is holding a public meeting on July 16, 2015 to discuss Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule (CLFS) payment for new or substantially revised HCPCS codes for calendar year 2016. At the meeting, the public also will have an opportunity to comment on certain reconsideration requests regarding test code…
CMS Announces Open Door Forum on Home Health Patient Survey Star Ratings (May 7)
On May 7, 2015, CMS is hosting a Special Open Door Forum to discuss its plans to use Home Health CAHPS survey results to create Patient Survey Star Ratings for the Home Health Compare website. CMS will provide an overview of the HHCAHPS Patient Survey Star Ratings, describe the methods for calculating the ratings and…
CMS Reschedules Call on Home Health Clinical Templates (May 20)
On May 20, 2015, CMS is hosting its final call to discuss paper and clinical templates intended to assist physicians and practitioners in documenting patient eligibility for Medicare home health benefits.
MedPAC Meeting on Medicare Policy (April 2-3, 2015)
On April 2-3, 2015, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is meeting to discuss various Medicare policy issues, including: hospital short stay policy; polypharmacy/multiple drug use (focusing on Part D opioid use); Medicare Part D risk sharing; measuring low-value care; using episode bundles to improve care efficiency (including potential refinements to the Medicare spending per…
CMS Calls on Next Generation ACO Model
CMS is hosting a series of calls to discuss its new “Next Generation” ACO Model, which is intended to promote Medicare quality improvement and care coordination. The following upcoming calls are scheduled:
• March 31, 2015 — Focusing on financial methodology and related issues;
• April 7, 2015 – Focusing on benefit enhancements…
CMS Call on Reviewing Open Payments/Sunshine Act Data (April 15)
CMS is hosting a national provider call on April 15, 2015 to discuss the Open Payments program, including the process for physicians and teaching hospitals to review applicable data prior to publication. Registration is required.
CMS Announces New “Next Generation” ACO Model; Schedules 3/17 Call
On March 10, 2015, CMS announced the Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model, its latest Affordable Care Act (ACA) innovation initiative intended to promote Medicare quality improvement and care coordination. The Next Generation ACO Model differs from the existing Medicare Shared Savings Program and Pioneer ACO models in several ways. For instance, the Next…
CMS Posts Deadlines for 2016 Medicare Shared Savings Program Application Cycle; Schedules Informational Calls
CMS is gearing up for the program year 2016 Medicare Shared Savings Program, under which physicians, hospitals, and certain other types of providers and suppliers may form Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to provide cost-effective, coordinated care to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. CMS has posted the deadlines for applying to the program for 2016 (the notice…