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Long Term Care & Senior Living Blog

We offer updates on national on regional issues such as malpractice defense, regulatory compliance, labor and employment issues and estate planning.

Long Term Care & Senior Living Blog
October 13, 2014

Extendicare Enters $38 Million Settlement for False Claims Act Allegations

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement for claims of substandard nursing care and medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy wherein Extendicare will pay $38 million to settle False Claims Act allegations. Rehabilitation services have been a frequent target for DOJ investigation and settlement of alleged overpayments. Once again, DOJ brings closure to an investigation of an initiative from the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT). In addition to HEAT, this settlement arose from an investigation related to the Justice Department’s Elder Justice initiative, which coordinates the Office of Inspector General (OIG) efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

Long Term Care & Senior Living Blog
September 18, 2014

Covered Entity Alert - HIPAA BAA Compliance Deadline is 9-23-14

The Omnibus Final Rule (Final Rule) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was issued in January 2013 and became effective on March 26, 2013 with a general compliance date of September 23, 2013. However, Covered Entities were given additional time to get their pre-Final Rule Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) in compliance. That compliance deadline is fast approaching on September 23, 2014.

Long Term Care & Senior Living Blog
August 25, 2014

Happy HIPAA Monday -  Stolen Laptop + No Encryption = Provider Data Breach

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA reported a stolen employee laptop containing patient protected health information as well as social security numbers and other personal information of at least 500 patients. While the hospital has encryption policies, this laptop lacked encryption after a recent operating system upgrade. The hospital will mail letters this week to potentially affected patients and has notified all relevant regulatory agencies, but the situation underlines the importance of adequately protected patient information.

Long Term Care & Senior Living Blog
June 25, 2014

Learning the Hard Way – Omnicare to Pay $124M False Claims Settlement

False Claims Act (FCA) allegations are serious business. Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded programs. Omnicare learned the hard way just how serious FCA actions can be when a whistleblower made allegations against it.