Previously published in Healthcare News and Healthcare Michigan Recently, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a conviction of a lab operator for violations of the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (“EKRA”) in United States v. Schena. This ruling, the first ever appellate interpretation of EKRA, has notable implications for both the laboratory industry and the greater healthcare industry. …
Imagination Is Essential for Good Legal Defense
Previously published in Healthcare News and Healthcare Michigan. Growing up, my family played an unusual game around the dinner table. After sharing about our days, my dad (also a health care attorney) would ask my sisters and me to argue. He’d pick a topic, such as why my younger sister should have a later bedtime than me, or …
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Arizona’s New Behavioral Healthcare Laws – Part 3
As part of a three-part series. Read the first installment here and the second installment here. In 2024, the Arizona legislature passed five new Arizona laws directly affecting behavioral health care in Arizona. These laws run the gamut between refining definitions, requiring peer specialist trainings, new requirements for court-ordered evaluation and treatment, increased retention of …
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Arizona’s New Behavioral Healthcare Laws – Part 2
As part of a three-part series. Read the first installment here. In 2024, the Arizona legislature passed five new Arizona laws directly affecting behavioral health care in Arizona. These laws run the gamut between refining definitions, requiring peer specialist trainings, new requirements for court-ordered evaluation and treatment, increased retention of documentation, and expanding guardians’ rights. …
Continue reading “Arizona’s New Behavioral Healthcare Laws – Part 2”
Arizona’s New Behavioral Healthcare Laws – Part 1
As part of a three-part series In 2024, the Arizona legislature passed five new Arizona laws directly affecting behavioral health care in Arizona. These laws run the gamut between refining definitions, requiring peer specialist trainings, new requirements for court-ordered evaluation and treatment, increased retention of documentation, and expanding guardians’ rights. In this three-part series, you …
Continue reading “Arizona’s New Behavioral Healthcare Laws – Part 1”
2024 Revisions to Part 2: Key Changes, Impact, and Compliance Tips
Previously published in Healthcare News and Healthcare Michigan. On February 8, 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized revisions to 42 CFR Part 2. Read on to learn more about Part 2, the changes, and helpful practice pointers. Quick Refresher: What Is Part 2? 42 CFR Part 2 is a set of Federal laws that …
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Breaking Down Barriers: Expanded Access to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated that 9.2 million people ages 12 and older had misused opioids in the past year.[1] Death by overdose continues to be a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, with a nearly 15% increase in …
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HHS Proposes Rule to Align Part 2 Substance Use Disorder Laws With HIPAA
On November 28, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records regulations under 42 CFR Part 2. The “Part …
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FIVE WAYS THE 2023 MEDICARE PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE IS PROMOTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WHOLE-PERSON CARE
On November 1, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) under the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized changes that are projected to significantly expand access to behavioral health care services, among other things. CMS released a Behavioral Health Strategy in 2022, which included improving access to and quality of …
A New Interstate Compact Is in Town: The Interstate Compact for Counselor Licensure.
One interstate compact you may not have heard of yet that could be very helpful for the behavioral health field is the Interstate Compact for Counselor Licensure. As of August 4, 2022, the Counselor Compact now has 17 members – Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia (the first state to enact the Counseling Compact), Kentucky, Louisiana, …