Health Law

Published on: August 2, 2019

American College of Physicians Issues New Guidelines for Breast Cancer Screening

On April 8, 2019, the American College of Physicians (“ACP”) released the clinical guideline, “Screening for Breast Cancer in Average-Risk Women: A Guidance Statement from the American College of Physicians” (the “Guideline”). The Guideline divides women into three categories based on age and offers breast cancer screening methodology guidance for each category. The Guideline offers the following guidance for women of average-risk:

Women aged 40-49: clinicians should discuss whether to screen for breast cancer with mammography, including a discussion on the benefits and harms of screening as well as the woman’s preference. The ACP notes that potential harms generally outweigh the benefits for most women in this category;
Women aged 50-74: clinicians should offer biennial screening for breast cancer with mammography;

Continue reading →

Published on: July 31, 2019

Patient Recruiter Found Guilty in $1.3 Million Medicare Kickback Scheme

By The Health Law Partners

On July 30, 2019, a federal jury in Detroit, Michigan, found a patient recruiter guilty for his role in a scheme involving approximately $1.3 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for home health care that were procured through the payment of illegal kickbacks.

Following a six-day trial, Dominic Trumbo, 45, of Lexington, Kentucky, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks and three counts of receipt of health care kickbacks.

According to evidence presented at trial, from 2009 to 2017, Trumbo, owner of Trumbo Consulting Agency, solicited and received kickbacks in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries to serve as patients at multiple home health agencies. These agencies then submitted claims to Medicare for home health services that were purportedly provided to those beneficiaries.

Continue reading →

Published on: July 31, 2019

New Information Regarding Appropriate Use Criteria is Released

By The Health Law Partners

This year, key information regarding the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) program is being released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via guidance documents. A Change Request was issued July 26, 2019, informing Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) that they are to begin accepting AUC-related modifiers and healthcare common procedure coding system (HCPCS) codes in 2020.

Under the AUC program, a practitioner must consult a qualified Clinical Decision Support Mechanism (qCDSM) at the time of an advanced diagnostic imaging service order. The qCDSM – an electronic portal through which AUC is accessed – provides a determination of whether the order adheres to AUC or if the AUC consulted was not applicable to the patient’s clinical condition.

Currently running as a voluntary program, CMS has announced an Education and Operations Testing Period to begin January 1, 2020 and running the full calendar year to give practitioners appropriate time to adjust to the system. During this period, “claims will not be denied for failing to include AUC-related information or for misreporting AUC information.” However, CMS also writes that they expect ordering professionals to begin consulting qCDSMs and providing the relevant information to the furnishing providers during the test period “as it is important for CMS to track this information.”

Continue reading →

Published on: July 19, 2019

Bay City Vascular Surgeon Charged in Connection with $60 Million Health Care Fraud

By The Health Law Partners

On July 10, 2019, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced the indictment of Dr. Vasso Godiali of Bay City, charged with health care fraud in the amount of $60 million, and money laundering for financial transactions involving approximately $49 million in proceeds derived from the scheme.

According to the indictment, Dr. Godiali submitted false and fraudulent claims for the placement of stents in dialysis patients and for the treatment of arterial blood clots; exploited medical billing software to improperly maximize payments from Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicaid, Medicare, and Blue Cross for services not rendered; and “unbundled” claims by exploiting modifier-59 to falsely claim he was performing many separate and distinct procedures, when in fact he was entitled to a single reimbursement for a single procedure. The indictment further alleges that Dr. Godiali utilized six corporations through which he laundered approximately $49 million, which he ultimately used to fund investment accounts at multiple financial institutions, and that he engaged in money laundering by using proceeds from his scheme to pay property taxes on a Houghton Lake, Michigan, residence.

The United States Attorney’s Office also filed a related civil lawsuit seeking the forfeiture of approximately $39.9 million seized from accounts controlled by Dr. Godiali and/or related to four separate real estate transactions.

Continue reading →

Published on: July 19, 2019

Midwife Profession to Require Licensure on August 1, 2019

By The Health Law Partners

Anyone practicing midwifery in the State of Michigan will be required to be licensed in midwifery beginning August 1, 2019. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) began accepting applications on May 6, 2019.

Under Public Act 417, which established Part 171 in the Public Health Code, an individual may not engage in the practice of midwifery unless licensed or otherwise authorized by article 15 of the Public Health Code. Those who are not licensed as of August 1, 2019, may be in violation of the public health code (there are statutory exemptions from licensure which can be found in MCL 333.17105(3)) and subject to significant penalties.

For additional information on the above matter or any matter related to healthcare professional licensing in Michigan, please contact Robert S. Iwrey, Esq. at 248-996-8510 or riwrey@thehlp.com.

Published on: July 17, 2019

LARA Launches New Licensing System

By The Health Law Partners

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) recently launched a new licensing platform for physicians (MDs and DOs) and 10 other licensed professions called the Michigan Professional Licensing User System (MiPLUS). The new system is intended to provide an improved interface for licensees and consumers and reduce mailing delays. All professional licensees will be required to apply for a new license or renew their current license by using the new online platform. Under the new system, license expirations dates will correspond with the licensee’s date of initial licensure and will be for the full length of the license cycle.

Some of the MiPLUS features are:

Individuals can apply online, track the status of their application, and renew their license.

Continue reading →

Published on: July 16, 2019

CMS Proposes Elimination of RAPs and Implementation of PDGM for CY 2020

By The Health Law Partners

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR HOME HEALTH AGENCIES – In a fact sheet released July 11, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) detailed its annual update to the Medicare rate, as well as its plan for the implementation of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) and other proposals for calendar year (CY) 2020, which can be downloaded here. Despite the pushback in recent months from lawmakers, home health stakeholders, and organizations such as the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, CMS indicates their intentions of moving forward with many of the provisions included in PDGM.

Perhaps chief among Thursday’s proposed rule is CMS’s plan to phase out pre-payments for home health agencies (HHAs). This would eliminate the ability of HHAs to submit a Request for Anticipated Payment (RAP) in order to obtain 50-60% of the anticipated payment at the beginning of a patient’s care episode. According to CMS, the plan for the elimination of RAPs was brought on by “a marked increase in RAP fraud schemes perpetrated by existing home health agencies that receive significant upfront payments, never submit final claims and then close for business.” CMS is proposing that RAP payments for existing providers will be phased out over the next year, with full elimination occurring by 2021.

However, CMS’s proposed rule also includes a 1.3% – or $250 million – projected increase to the Medicare payments made to HHAs. This rate increase reflects a 1.5% home health payment update as well as a 0.2% decrease due to reductions made by the new rural add-on policy.

Continue reading →

Published on: June 19, 2019

Healthcare Innovation: Compliance

By The Health Law Partners

By Adrienne Dresevic, Esq. of The Health Law Partners, P.C., Olivia Dresevic JD expected 2020

On June 1, 2019, Joanne Chiedi assumed the role of Acting Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) following Daniel R. Levinson’s resignation. Ms. Chiedi recently sat down with the Compliance Perspectives Podcast to speak on key issues she addressed at the 2019 Compliance Institute. This article will highlight some of Ms. Chiedi’s insight regarding how healthcare providers can maintain successful compliance and oversight considering the rapid innovative changes occurring in Healthcare.

Innovation and Technology in the world of Healthcare

Continue reading →

Published on: June 19, 2019

CMS Announces Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Appeals Settlement Initiative

By The Health Law Partners

On June 17, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a settlement option for certain IRF appeals pending at any of the four fee-for-service Medicare administrative appeals levels: the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC), qualified independent contractor (QIC), the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), and/or the Medicare Appeals Council (Council) stage.

The settlement option is limited to IRF appellants that filed appeals at the MAC for redetermination on or before August 31, 2018 that are pending or eligible for appeal at the MAC, QIC, OMHA or Council stages of appeal.

Under the IRF settlement initiative, CMS will pay 69 percent of the net payable amount for most claims associated with pending IRF appeals. However, CMS will pay 100 percent of the net payable amount for the following:

Continue reading →

Published on: June 10, 2019

Additional SCF Opportunities Become Available

By The Health Law Partners

The Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) has announced an expansion of the Settlement Conference Facilitation (SCF) program available to the appellant community as of June 7, 2019. Previously, the option of an SCF was only available to appeals filed on or before November 3, 2017.

An SCF is “an alternative dispute resolution process designed to bring the appellant and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) together to discuss the potential of a mutually agreeable resolution for Medicare Part and Part B claims.” Claims that are eligible for SCF must be at the OMHA level or the Medicare Appeals Council (MAC) level.

An employee of OMHA is designated as a facilitator for the duration of an SCF, whose main purpose is to facilitate payment negotiations between the appellant and OMHA, working to make the two parties see the relative strengths and weaknesses of their positions. The facilitator does not act as a fact finder during this process, nor do they make determinations on the qualities of the claims.

Continue reading →