U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson indicated last Tuesday that he will likely allow a lawsuit to proceed that challenges the Constitutionality of the Healthcare Reform law. The lawsuit, filed by 20 states, the National Federation of Independent Business and two individuals, challenges whether the Constitution permits the federal government to…
According to a study by researchers at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago and Georgetown University, the number of doctors engaged in “concierge medicine” is on the rise. The study found that almost 1,000 physicians nationwide practice concierge medicine. Physicians with these types of practices offer…
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) named the first technology review bodies that are authorized to certify electronic health record (EHR) systems. The review bodies, The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) and the Drummond Group Inc. (DGI), will have the task of ensuring…
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on July 29 that it will make available $51 million in grants to help states initiate health insurance exchanges, mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Grants of up to $1 million will be made available to each state. …
On June 11 we posted that the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) had immediately suspended the board certifications of 139 physicians. Since that time, our office has submitted a series of written submissions and had other communications with the ABIM’s counsel in order to clarify that the “suspensions” were…
As noted in our June 11 blog entry, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) recently took unprecedented action in immediately suspending the board certifications of 139 physicians. We have been in communication with the ABIM urging them to characterize the action as non-final recommended action pending appeal rather than…
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has filed suits against 5 physicians for alleged copyright infringement, the misappropriation of trade secrets, and breach of contract. In addition, ABIM immediately suspended or revoked a total of 139 physicians’ board certification. The ABIM is an organization that certifies internal-medicine specialists and…
St. Jude Medical Center will pay $3.7 million in a settlement with the Department of Justice regarding allegations that the organization paid illegal kickbacks to hospitals. In the settlement, St. Jude does not admit wrongdoing. The Department of Justice alleged that St. Jude paid kickbacks to hospitals in order to…
The sale of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) to Vanguard Health System, a hospital chain based in Nashville, has been delayed ten days. The DMC Board of Trustees and Vanguard Health Systems extended the letter of intent to allow each organization’s legal teams to complete the necessary work for the…
Beginning July 1, 2010, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) will cease payment on CPT consultation codes for Medicare Plus Blue PFFS and Medicare Plus Blue PPO. This decision follows after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) discontinued reimbursement as of January 1, 2010 for consultation codes…