Legal and practical healthcare information.
It has been a busy year for the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) enforcement efforts against non-compete restrictive covenants in employment agreements. During President Biden’s administration in 2024, the FTC issued a rule banning non-compete provisions in employment agreements with certain exceptions (the “Rule”). That led to immediate litigation challenging the FTC’s authority. Appeals were pending …
Continue reading “Enhanced Crackdown on Non-Compete Agreements”
It has been a busy month for the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and enforcement activity concerning non-compete restrictive covenants in employment agreements. If you have been following this topic, you’ll recall that during President Biden’s administration in 2024, the FTC issued a rule banning non-compete provisions in employment agreements with certain exceptions. That led to …
Continue reading “Recent FTC Developments on Non-Compete Enforcement”
It has been a busy summer for telehealth updates. Following is a high-level summary of the latest developments. On June 6, 2025, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “OIG”) issued an advisory opinion (25-03), which may provide a model for structuring telehealth collaborations that are compliant …
The future of healthcare once seemed like science fiction—think of The Jetsons, the iconic 1960s animated show where families communicate via video calls and receive virtual checkups. But today, telehealth has rapidly become a reality, thanks to technological advances and broadband expansion. However, key funding mechanisms are now under scrutiny, raising questions about whether this …
Continue reading “Are We Living in The Jetsons’ Future? Telehealth, Broadband, and Policy Shifts”
Previously published in Healthcare News and Healthcare Michigan As is the case in many industry sectors, the end of the year brings us to wonder what is in store for healthcare in 2025. Although the future is anyone’s guess, the following three areas of healthcare are most likely to experience robust activity. Non-Compete Litigation Non-compete provisions are designed …
Continue reading “Healthcare Developments to Expect in 2025”
Dickinson Wright attorney Kim Ruppel recently participated in The Risky Health Care Business Podcast, where she and host Scott Nelson delved into the intricate world of noncompetes and their ramifications for both health care professionals and organizations. This article encapsulates the insights from that conversation. Understanding Noncompete Agreements Noncompete agreements have long been a fixture …
Continue reading “Navigating Noncompetes in Health Care: Understanding the FTC’s Impact”
It is no secret that protected health information (or “PHI”) is more and more at risk for cybersecurity attacks. In 2022 (the most recent year this statistic is available), the Department for Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) received over 30,000 new complaints alleging violations of HIPAA and, in addition to other …
Continue reading “How Did They Get My Protected Health Information?”
Prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency (“PHE”), the federal Ryan Haight Act allowed a provider to prescribe controlled substance medications to a patient only after conducting an in-person evaluation of that patient (with limited exceptions). At the beginning of the PHE, the Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”) granted temporary exceptions to the in-person requirement and …
Continue reading “Telehealth Update: Controlled Substances & E/M Claims”
The Federal False Claims Act (“FCA”) allows private parties to bring lawsuits in the name of the federal government against defendants who allegedly “knowingly” present a false claim to the government for payment. The question for courts has been what standard should be applied to evaluate a defendant’s “knowledge.” The US Supreme Court recently clarified …
Continue reading “False Claims Act “Knowledge” Is a Subjective Standard”
Reversing previously proposed rules, the DEA recently issued new guidance allowing the continued use of telehealth when prescribing controlled substances following the end of the Covid-19 public health emergency (“PHE”). Waivers of the requirement for in-person encounters that were in place during the PHE will remain in effect for practitioner-patient telehealth relationships established as of …
Continue reading “DEA Reverses Course and Extends Telehealth Prescriptions of Controlled Substances”