Medical space leasing requires more consideration and deeper analysis than typical commercial leases. Various federal and state laws regulate financial relationships of medical providers which in turn dictate the terms of a lease.
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Whether you are considering full-time or part-time employment, a newly minted doctor leaving a residency program or a more seasoned practitioner joining a group practice, the following key aspects of an employment relationship should be considered before agreeing to any arrangement. Continue reading » A new advisory opinion from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services nixed a proposed arrangement between an independent clinical laboratory and physician groups highlighting the intense government scrutiny of lab-physician agreements. Continue reading » Pharmacists certified to administer vaccines must comply with specific standards and procedures issued by the Department of Health. In part two of our series analyzing the requirements imposed on pharmacists for vaccine administration, we discuss some of those standards and procedures below. Continue reading » Since 2008, certified pharmacists in New York have been authorized to administer vaccines. Today we begin a three part series that examines pharmacists’ certification requirements for immunization administration, immunization standards and procedures, as well as the State reporting requirements. Continue reading » The government’s authority to exclude practitioners from participation in Federal health care programs has expanded dramatically since program exclusions upon conviction first began back in 1977. In an attempt to address industry questions about the scope of exclusion in today’s regulatory climate, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued an updated Special Advisory bulletin this past May. Continue reading » Deniza Gertsberg presented a breakfast seminar before medical staff of the New York Metropolitan Hospital in New York, NY, on May 28, 2013. The seminar was titled “Physician Employment Contracts.” This is the second time Deniza Gertsberg was invited to present before hospital staff. In addition to the possible legal pitfalls of advertising on groupon-type websites, there are also ethical and practice management concerns to be weighed by healthcare practitioners before agreeing to such arrangements. Even with the recent announcement that companies such as Groupon and LivingSocial may be offering contracts to healthcare providers that take into consideration the prohibition against fee splitting, practitioners should nonetheless proceed with caution. Continue reading » Every year the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) publishes a work plan that outlines the agency’s focus in the coming year. As in previous years, the targets of agency’s audits and investigations this work plan cycle remain physicians, dentists, laboratories, transportation providers, pharmacies and DMEs, as well as hospitals and home and community health service providers. Below we discuss some of OMIG’s planned integrity activity. Continue reading » New York State Medicaid Program posted new applications on April 1, 2013 for non-billing providers that order, prescribe, and/or refer beneficiaries with fee-for-service Medicaid coverage. New Jersey Medicaid required all such providers to be enrolled an “non-billing” providers by Jan. 1, 2013. Continue reading » When a healthcare professional faces professional discipline the initial focus tends to be on getting through and beyond the proceeding. Healthcare professionals, however, should also be aware of the collateral consequences that may stem from a professional disciplinary action. We discuss some of those below. Continue reading » Documenting each patient encounter not only benefits the patient but it is also good preventative medicine for the doctor against claims of professional negligence, violations of professional standards, as well as investigations by government agencies. The position taken by most licensing boards and law enforcement agencies is that if an item or service is not documented in a patient’s medical record “it didn’t happen.” Below we discuss the minimum documentation requirements imposed by New Jersey Medicaid on participating providers. Continue reading » Each year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) produces a work plan that outlines the agency’s focus for the upcoming year. With a staff of over 1,700 professionals, the OIG, among other things, conducts provider investigations and audits. Below we discuss some of the highlights from the OIG 2013 Work Plan. Continue reading » Last year the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) adopted a new OSHA Hazard Communication Standard. The new standard is now aligned with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. All dental and medical providers, pharmacies and other healthcare employers must comply with the Hazard Communication Standard as well as other applicable OSHA standards. Continue reading » Most providers know that fees paid by the New York State Medicaid program are considered to be payment in full. This means that as a requirement of participating with Medicaid, and with the exception of co-payments, providers may not bill Medicaid beneficiaries for covered services. Providers may, however, enter into private pay agreement with Medicaid beneficiaries and the article below addresses certain important aspects of that relationship. Continue reading » This past November 19, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed into law a bill that for the first time would require license suspension or revocation of certain health care professionals and medical waste facilities, generators, and transporters for illegal or improper medical waste disposal. The law went into effect immediately. Continue reading » |
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