Legal & Regulatory Issues

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the administration will rescind all or part of three Medicaid regulations that were previously issued and delay the enforcement of a fourth regulation, according to an HHS news release.

Jeffrey McElveen of Franklinton, La., and Robert Cleveland, MD, of Greenburg, La., pleaded guilty to charges of healthcare fraud, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

Chaunsay Beckwith of Tucker, Ga., was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison and more than $1 million in restitution for healthcare fraud, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control recently approved Certificate of Needs for two hospitals in Berkley County, which is just north of Charleston, according to a report by the Charleston Regional Business Journal.

Two insurance agents — Brent A. Carter of Harlington, Texas, and Michael N. Swetnam, Jr., of Los Fresnos, Texas — were charged with conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud in a scheme against Valley Baptist Hospital in South Texas, according…

Devendra K. Varma, MD, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was charged with a criminal charge that is "basically" healthcare fraud, according to a report in the Southeast Missourian.

Officials from the state of Louisiana have halted land acquisition activities for a proposed $1.2 billion New Orleans teaching hospital in hopes of forcing an agreement between Louisiana State University and Tulane University, according to a report in The Times-Picayune.

Riccy Mederos, a resident of Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud at a U.S. District Court in Savannah, Ga., according to a report from WSAV-TV.

Fifty-three physicians, healthcare executives and beneficiaries have been indicted in Detroit-based Medicare fraud schemes, which are estimated to have cost Medicare $50 million, according to a Department of Health and Human Services news release.

With the changes occurring in Washington, D.C., regarding healthcare reform, it is important for surgery centers and physician-owned hospitals to take notice of what is being discussed and how this can affect their businesses.Mike Lipomi, president of RMC Medstone, discusses…