Legal & Regulatory Issues

State, Local Governments Consider Reducing Not-For-Profits' Tax Exemptions

Several cash-strapped state and local governments are considering new taxes on not-for-profit organizations, according to a report by the New York Times.

Trial Ends on Sale of Hospital District to California Physician Group

Testimony has ended in a trial over the proposed sale of Hemet, Calif.-based Valley Health System to Physicians for Healthy Hospitals, which alleges that the physician group influenced appraisers in their evaluation of the hospital district's assets, according to a…

As Physician Fee Cut Goes Into Effect, CMS Puts Hold on Medicare Claims to Allow for Fix -- 3 Key Observations and Possible Consequences

Although a 21.2 percent physician fee cut is going into effect today, CMS has instructed Medicare contractors to hold claims for the first 10 business days to allow Congress time to pass a fee fix, according to a release by…

Bill That Prohibits CRNAs From Providing Pain Injections Passes Oklahoma House

A bill that would permit physicians only to administer pain management injections into a patient's neck or spinal area passed the Oklahoma House by a vote of 55-33, split mostly on urban and rural lines, according to a report in…

New York's Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center Agrees to $2.92 Million Medicare Fraud Settlement

Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center, on Long Island, N.Y., has agreed to pay $2.92 million plus interest to settle allegations that the hospital inflated charges to obtain supplemental outlier payments.

ENT Department Assistant Charged with Embezzling $1M From Boston Hospital

A practice assistant in the ENT Department at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston is pleading guilty to embezzling more than $1 million from the hospital, according to a release from the FBI.

AHA Supports New Bill Repealing Antitrust Exemption for Health Insurers

The American Hospital Association supports a newly introduced bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would repeal the federal antitrust exemption for health insurers, according to a report by AHA News Now.

With Fee Cut Looming, AMA Shows How to Become Medicare Non-Participant

With an automatic 21.2 percent Medicare fee cut looming next Monday, the AMA is showing members how to opt out of Medicare's set reimbursements and become a "non-participating" physician, according to a report on the AMA Web site.

Six New York Healthcare Providers Reimburse State $2.4M for Inflated Claims

Six healthcare providers in New York have reimbursed state officials more than $2.4 million in restitution and paid a combined $39,107 in fines for inflated billings submitted to the New York State Health Insurance Program, according to a report by…

Former Los Angeles Hospital Owner Gets Three-Year Sentence for Medicare Fraud

Robert Bourseau, the former owner of City of Angels Medical Center in Los Angeles, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to provide illegal kickbacks for the recruitment of homeless patients to come…