The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently accused a spinal company of using illegal kickbacks to grow their business. The DOJ accused the founder, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company as well as the vice president of business development of paying...
Year: 2019
HHS hits Texas agency with $1.6 million fine
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced it was fining a Texas agency $1.6 million. The HHS fined the agency due to allegations it violated the Health Insurance and Portability Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). What...
5 facts about NY’s “good moral character” requirement for nurses
New York State's Office of the Professions requires nursing candidates be of "good moral character" in order to have a nursing license in the state. In order to meet this requirement, the office requires those who wish to receive or a renew a license in the NY...
Texas Medical Board suspends 7 physicians in October
The Texas Medical Board (TMB) has the power to decide who can and who cannot practice medicine in the state. The group regulates the practice of medicine by reviewing complaints and, in some cases, suspending the medical license of the accused. Unfortunately, such...
NY man sentenced to 3 years, $10 mil for health care fraud
A New York man recently agreed to a plea deal with the government for allegations of health care fraud. According to his plea agreement, the accused requested blank prescriptions from a physician friend. The accused then put in the names of other patients and made...
TMB agrees to review OB based on a complaint from the 80s
The case began when a 32-year-old woman began to investigate her family tree. She knew her parents had used a donor for conception, as they had struggled with fertility issues. When her own son began to suffer from severe health problems she began to investigate her...
CMS investigations lead to increased scrutiny of 3 TX hospitals
The United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) investigates hospitals throughout the country to check for compliance. A poor investigation can result in serious ramifications, including the inability to receive funding through CMS. These...
HHS proposes changes to Stark Law and AKS: 4 things to know
On October 9, 2019, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed some of the largest changes to the Stark Law, which guides physician self-referrals, and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) discussed in decades. The proposals are part of the...
Hospital investigates nurse after offensive social media posts
Most people in the country use social media in one form or another. One estimate finds almost two out of three Americans use these online platforms to connect with others. Facebook is the most popular, but sites like Instagram, Twitter and YouTube are also...
Medicare Fraud Strike Force arrests 5 New Yorkers
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force recently announced the arrest of five New Yorkers based on charges of health care fraud. The arrests were part of a larger coordinated health care fraud enforcement action that led to the arrest of 48 individuals throughout the...