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False Claims Case Alleging Forgery, Destroyed Email Moves Forward

A long-running False Claims Act lawsuit against Bon Secours New York Health System and its affiliates is moving forward in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, after physicians came forward to attest that someone forged their signatures on documents required for billing.

Patient Abandonment Can Occur Without Intent

The current healthcare arena, with a constricted provider marketplace and other challenges for patients seeking a new physician, can amplify the risk of inadvertent patient abandonment.

Watch Out for False Claims Act Violations

Most False Claims Act cases are brought by whistleblowers who can receive up to 30% of the government’s recovery in a successful investigation under the act.

More Details About Anti-kickback Statute

The federal anti-kickback statute (Section 1128B(b) of the Social Security Act) provides criminal penalties for people or entities that knowingly and willfully offer, pay, solicit, or receive remuneration to induce or reward the referral of business reimbursable under federal healthcare programs.

Federal Officials Ramp Up Healthcare Fraud Violation Investigations

Federal enforcement of the anti-kickback statute and other laws has increased over the past decade. In the 2016 fiscal year, the Department of Justice opened 930 new civil healthcare fraud investigations and had 1,422 civil healthcare fraud matters pending.

Know Insurance Coverage Pitfalls to Prevent Gaps, Problems

The main insurance issue for ASCs is making sure they have appropriate coverage and structure. This includes an alignment of insurance limits by ASCs and surgeons.

Spine Surgeries Moving to Outpatient Facilities with 23-hour Observation

Spine surgery trends show that a greater proportion of spine surgeries are moving to an outpatient hospital setting, but fewer are moving to ASCs, according to a new study.

Patients, Staff Using Cellphones in ASCs Could Cause Major Trouble

Cellphone use in ambulatory surgery centers has led to high-profile legal snafus in recent years. Why allow patients and staff to carry cellphones in patient care areas?

Hand and Toe Amputation Results in $10.4 Million Jury Verdict

Failure to monitor adverse drug events in a patient led to gangrene and amputation of hand and toes.

$4.7 Million Verdict for Fatal Failure to Monitor Medication

Failure to monitor a patient's medication use resulted in fatal liver damage.