March 15, 2020 Legislation

Healthcare

Hospitals

Healthcare

The House has passed with the administration's blessing a bill to help with Covid-19 relief.  The bill will provide free testing along with sick pay for workers and enhanced unemployment benefits.  This was needed since state's cannot force free testing on ERISA employers.  

Medicare's PAC is recommending no increase in physician Medicare pay since there is an adequate supply of physicians and beneficiaries are not having a problem seeing their primary care people.  Minorities are having a problem with access.  MedPAC is recommending a slight raise for hospitals but a decrease for home health and inpatient rehab.  

The administration is attempting to line up suppliers for Medicare only charging for insulin a maximum of $35 per month to people with diabetes.

Texas has fined Blue Cross and Blue Shield $10 million for misrepresenting policy and benefit terms to policy holders.  They also have to provide refunds to those who they wrongly affected.  

Florida has passed a bill allowing qualified NPs to operate primary care practices without physician supervision.  This starts July 1.  

California is ordering a Trinity HealthShare, a company that runs ministry health Aplans to stop offering the plans.  They interfere with Ocare and give people an affordable alternative so they are no good.  They will sue the state.

Hospitals

Ohio's Mount Carmel will pay a fine of $477,000 along with having to hire a consultant to remain in the good graces of the state Board of Pharmacy.  Two of their pharmacists will also have to pay fines and take mandatory courses.  This is all for the large amount of opiates given to patients by Dr. William Husel, the physicians who is accused of 35 counts of murder but states he was providing comfort care.  

Archive

DISCLAIMER: Although this article is updated periodically, it reflects the author's point of view at the time of publication. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel before acting on any of the information presented.