The Supreme Court of Florida recently found Florida’s statutory caps on medical malpractice damages for pain and suffering (noneconomic damages) to be unconstitutional as violating the equal protection clause of the state’s constitution. This ruling is concerning for healthcare providers because, not only could it result in additional liability in malpractice cases, but it could also cause an increase in malpractice insurance premiums. Continue reading
Author Archives: Breazeale Sachse
eClinicalWorks Case Raises New Questions
On May 31, 2017, the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that eClinicalWorks (ECW) agreed to pay a $155 million settlement and enter a corporate integrity agreement with the OIG to resolve allegations that ECW caused its health care provider customers to submit false Medicare and Medicaid claims for meaningful use payments in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). Under the corporate integrity agreement, ECW agreed to strict compliance and reporting obligations and to provide the latest version of ECW’s EHR software to each of ECW’s current customers free of charge. Continue reading
BSW Sponsorss 2017 Physicians Legal Issues Conference
BSW is once again proud to sponsor the Physicians Legal Issues Conference to be held June 8-9, 2017 at The Intercontinental in Chicago, IL. The Physicians Legal Issues Conference is co-sponsored by the American Bar Association Health Law Section, Chicago Medical Society and the American Association for Physician Leadership®. Continue reading
Recent $400K HIPAA Settlement with FQHC Highlights Importance of HIPAA Security Management Process
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), recently entered a $400,000 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) settlement with Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN), a federally-qualified health center (FQHC). The settlement serves as a stark reminder that all covered entities, including FQHCs, must meet the HIPAA Security Rule requirements and that OCR is continuing to step up enforcement efforts in this area. Continue reading
First Ever HIPAA Enforcement Action for Delay in Breach Reporting
A delay in timely breach notification may now cost you. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently entered a settlement with Presence Health for untimely reporting a breach of unsecured protected health information (PHI). Presence discovered that its operating room schedules containing PHI for 836 individuals were missing on October 22, 2013. Under the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, breaches like this which involve >500 individuals are required to be reported to the individuals, prominent media outlets and OCR without unreasonable delay and in no case later than 60 days. Presence did not report the breach to OCR until January 31, 2014, approximately 100 days after discovering the breach. OCR’s investigation concluded that Presence failed to notify, without unreasonable delay and within 60 days of discovering the breach, each of the 836 individuals, the media and OCR. Presence agreed to pay $475,000 to settle the potential violations.
The Press Release and Resolution Agreement are available on the OCR website.
Written by: Jacob Simpson
bswhealthlaw.com 