In a recent analysis for Today’s General Counsel, healthcare industry partner Katie McDermott analyzes the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit’s decision in United States v. AseraCare, Inc. and offers key takeaways for False Claims Act (FCA) practitioners from “this reasoned and scholarly opinion.”
Health Law Scan
Legal Insights and Perspectives for the Healthcare Industry
Continuing to look for ways to reduce the Medicare administrative law judge (ALJ) appeals backlog, CMS has explored enhancing the role of Qualified Independent Contractors (QICs) to resolve disputed claims earlier in the appeals process. Its main pilot in this area is the Telephone and Reopening Process Demonstration (Demonstration), which affords certain providers the ability to present their case to a representative of the QIC and have a live discussion about the merits of the appeal.
The US House of Representatives unanimously voted to approve HR 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), on October 28.
The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has issued its much awaited decision in United States v. Aseracare, and for those who question how mere differences clinical opinion can ever support punitive False Claims Act (FCA) liability, it is especially informative.
Two OIG inspection reports detailing the results of onsite hospice surveys during a five-year period ending three years ago in 2016 build on the body of hospice industry evaluations conducted by the OIG, garnering significant negative press attention.