Legal & Regulatory Issues

A new bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), would change the medical loss ratio in an effort to mollify health insurance brokers, according to a report from The Hill.

The Louisiana Hospital Association and the Louisiana State Medical Society have sued state Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon regarding a health coverage policy and Hurricane Isaac, according to an Advocate report.

A federal judge has rejected Prime Healthcare Services' lawsuit against Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente and the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, which centered on antitrust allegations, according to a California Watch report.

A review by the Office of Inspector General has found little improvement in CMS' reporting of adverse actions for providers since the OIG made a recommendation in 2010 to improve the reporting process.

Last week, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court dismissed lawsuits filed by seven safety-net hospitals that claimed they were not reasonably reimbursed for Medicaid costs under the state's 2006 healthcare law, according to a Associated Press report in the Boston Globe.

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant that challenged the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a Hattiesburg American report.

The president of the California Hospital Association has responded to questions and concerns about hospital-physician consolidation, saying "criticism of hospitals that are responding to the demands of federal and state laws is unwarranted," according to a media statement.

After examining HHS' compensation and hiring practices, Republicans in the House of Representatives are questioning salaries exceeding $250,000 and introducing legislation to cap HHS pay, according to a report from The Hill.

The University of Iowa and Iowa Board of Regents have sued a former physician from UI Hospitals and Clinics, alleging he violated a non-compete agreement, according to a Gazette report.

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris is investigating whether affiliation agreements between physicians and several large hospital operators are in violation of antitrust law, according to a Wall Street Journal report.