The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services published a major proposed rule on October 3, 2014 amending the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) safe harbors and the Civil Monetary Penalty (CMP) rules to protect a number of payment practices not previously allowed under those regulations. The proposed rule and the … Continue Reading
Continuing budget gridlock in Washington has triggered sequestration and automatic budget cuts to a wide range of federal programs have gone into effect, including Medicare payments to providers and health plans. Reed Smith’s Health Industry Washington Watch blog post answers some basic questions about sequestration, including what Medicare spending is impacted, when the Medicare cuts … Continue Reading
On July 15, 2008, the House and Senate overrode President Bush's veto of H.R. 6331, the "Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008" ("MIPPA"). MIPPA rescinds a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician payments, delays a controversial medical equipment competitive bidding program, and makes numerous other Medicare and Medicaid policy changes.… Continue Reading
