The False Claims Act (FCA), also called the “Lincoln Law”, is a federal law that imposes liability on persons and companies who defraud governmental programs The Department of Justice has almost doubled the penalties under the FCA. As of August 1, the minimum penalty for each false claim will increase from $5,500 to $10,781, and the Read more…
Pokémon Go Divides the Healthcare Industry
Unless you have zero interaction with digital technology, which is unlikely since you are reading this blog post, you must have heard about the latest Pokémon Go craze. The new GPS-based augmented reality game is drawing more attention from consumers and the media alike, than the upcoming Olympic games or the presidential election. Pokémon is Read more…
State files Lawsuit to Block Insurance Mergers
Justice Department has filed a preliminary injunction to block mergers involving the country’s top health insurance companies. Four of the top five insurances by market share had announced plans to merge in 2016. This included Aetna with Humana, Anthem with Cigna. UnitedHealth Group, the largest by market value, is not involved in the proposed mergers. Read more…
MIPS Delay is on the Cards
It seems that when it comes to MIPS, CMS is willing to entertain the possibilities of a delayed start & shorter reporting periods. On July 13, at the congressional hearing on the Medicare Access and Chip authorization act, CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt did not rule out the possibility of a MIPS delay. Originally, MIPS was Read more…
Too Small for Ransomware? Think again
Ransomware is a serious threat, and it’s only getting worse. Many practices assume that they are too small to appear on a hacker’s radar, and are not prioritizing cybersecurity like they should. This is a mistake. Hackers have been known to target individuals and small businesses as lack of preparedness makes them an easy target. Read more…
MACRA Proposed Rule: Not What the Doctor Ordered?
Many healthcare providers have been waiting for the end of meaningful use with baited breath. After all, the end of MU promised to lessen the burden of compliance requirements, and usher in more realistic reporting guidelines. But the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) thousand-page proposed rule for the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of Read more…
MIPS Rule Released
While the proposed rule is incredibly complex — 962 pages — here are some early takeaways. We promise to keep you posted with any future developments. There are two paths to reimbursement, beginning CY2017 for Medicare eligible clinicians : the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Alternative Payment Models (APMs). Though initially this affects practices Read more…
How Gender & Geography affect Physician Compensation- Physician Compensation Report 2016
Medscape has conducted another survey about physicians’ compensation. In this survey, they spoke with nearly 19,200 physicians in over 26 specialties. In addition to general compensation, this year’s survey also took a look at hours spent with each patient, and the rewards and challenges that come with the job. Some of this year’s findings remain Read more…
How to Protect Yourself against Ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that infects a computer and restricts users’ access to it until a ransom is paid to unlock it. It does not only target individuals but also organizations and enterprises including healthcare. In the last few months, there has been a string of ransomware attacks in healthcare facilities across US. Read more…
Mandatory E-prescribing Law goes into Effect this Sunday
In New York all medical providers must fully transition to e-Prescribing by March 27, 2016, or face penalties under the I-STOP Law. This means that all medications dispensed in NY, including prescriptions for legend drugs and schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances, be transmitted electronically to the pharmacy via a certified e-prescribing or Read more…