By Kevin B. O’Reilly What’s the news: The AMA is urging House Republican and Democratic leaders to work together on a bipartisan basis to prevent arbitrary across-the-board Medicare cuts that threaten the financial viability of physician practices during the pandemic. The AMA supports the provisions of H.R. 1868, which would stop scheduled cuts totaling 6%. Why it’s…
The technology must be further developed and tested to improve hand hygiene compliance. By: Samara Rosenfeld The use of an electronic wearable device did not change hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers, according to the findings of a new study. Still, the technology increased the duration of hand rubbing and the volume of alcohol-based handrub…
By Robert Snell McLaren Health Care Corp. agreed Tuesday to pay a record $7.75 million penalty to settle a federal investigation into officials distributing opioids and other drugs without prescriptions, the largest amount in U.S. history involving allegations of drug diversion. The penalty settles a years-long investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into whether…
By Nick Culburtson CEO of Protenus, leveraging AI to reduce risk and improve patient trust for healthcare systems across North America. This past year, healthcare has experienced unprecedented obstacles and struggles, but it also has displayed its unparalleled strength. In a pandemic or national emergency, healthcare should always favor accessibility to data and collaboration in…
By: Sarah K. diFrancesca On November 16, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) issued Special Fraud Alert: Speaker Programs (Fraud Alert) to “highlight the fraud and abuse risks associated with the offer, payment, solicitation, or receipt of remuneration relating to speaker programs by pharmaceutical and medical device companies.”…
By Thomas Sullivan In mid-October 2020, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (MMSI) agreed to pay $18 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute by paying kickbacks to physicians and hospitals to induce the use of MMSI products. As we covered in our September 2020 issue of our sister…
Undocumented Filipino caregivers, South LA’s black neighborhoods and garment workers grapple with unequal toll of virus By: Sam Levin Lily has no health insurance, no doctor and no savings. The 57-year-old Los Angeles caregiver contracted coronavirus last month at work and survived after weeks of agony and isolation in her bedroom. Without access to healthcare,…
“The biggest mistake they make is paying the ransom.” Jefferson GrahamUSA TODAY Ransomware attempts jumped 50% in the last three months, over the first half of 2020, and hospitals and health care organizations were the hardest hit, according to a new study by Check Point research. With renewed focus on healthcare during the COVID crisis,…
BY JAY WEAVER OCTOBER 09, 2020 06:00 AM, UPDATED OCTOBER 09, 2020 06:27 AM A Consumer Alert from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office concerned fake COVID-19 stimulus text messages. U.S. Health and Human Services said scam callers use COVID-19 to get Medicare information. BY CDC As the advertising folks like to say, telemedicine is…
“These cases hold accountable those medical professionals and others who have exploited health care benefit programs and patients for personal gain.” From Staff Reports, Great Falls Tribune Two Montana nurse practitioners are accused of participating in a scheme to defraud Medicare of almost $10 million and are part of a nationwide sweep that includes hundreds…