The CARES Act establishes a new loan program for small businesses during the period starting on March 1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020, and in certain situations forgiveness of such loan, which many health care providers and suppliers should review. Known as “7(a) Paycheck Protection Program loans” (“PPP Loans”), businesses in the health …
Temporary Relaxation of Supervision and Credential Requirements for Healthcare Providers
On March 29, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-30 temporarily suspending a number of supervision and credential requirements applicable to healthcare providers. These changes are intended to remain in effect during the public health emergency resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and apply only to healthcare providers currently in possession of a license in …
FAQs Regarding the Coronavirus and Health Care Providers – UPDATED 3/24/20
UPDATED: March 24, 2020 As our country faces the coronavirus head-on, Dickinson Wright’s health care law attorneys are actively assisting health care providers in understanding their legal obligations on matters relating to the situation. Our team has put together some FAQs from health care providers regarding these legal obligations and our recommendations, including general, nationwide …
Continue reading “FAQs Regarding the Coronavirus and Health Care Providers – UPDATED 3/24/20”
Pumping the Brakes: Amendments to Michigan’s No-Fault Act and the Effect on Health Care Providers
This article was originally published on February 6, 2020. It has been revised to include additional guidance provided by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (“DIFS”). In 2019, Michigan enacted amendments to the No-Fault Act (the “Act”), MCL 500.3101 et seq., that will affect the way health care practitioners provide services and are …
Healthcare Provider Fined for Disclosing PHI in Response to a Yelp! Review
When healthcare providers are subject to a bad review on Yelp! or similar customer-review websites and apps, it can be difficult to hold back and not provide a response or at least attempt to clarify the situation. However, healthcare providers, including dental providers, must ensure that employees who handle their social media, including customer-review websites …
Continue reading “Healthcare Provider Fined for Disclosing PHI in Response to a Yelp! Review”
So Your Resident Wants to Leave Against Medical Advice? A Few Guidelines for Skilled Nursing Facilities
When your resident first expresses a desire to leave against medical advice (“AMA”), take it seriously. Step 1: Verbal Prevention Your first line of defense to ensure your resident’s wellbeing (and consequently, to reduce your risk of liability) is prevention – attempt to understand, to the extent possible, the reason for the resident’s desire or …
Want to Challenge a Government Agency Decision? Three Key Takeaways to Consider
Healthcare providers balance their time and resources between providing the best possible care to patients and keeping up with their ever-changing regulatory landscape. Providers are often at the mercy of the federal and state agencies that administer healthcare programs, which have significant discretion in interpreting statutes, promulgating rules and guidance that implement those statutes, and …
Continue reading “Want to Challenge a Government Agency Decision? Three Key Takeaways to Consider”
Recent Efforts to Tame the Opioid Epidemic
48,000 Americans were lost to opioid overdoses in 2017. Michigan opioid-related deaths and overdoses rank 18th-highest in the nation. Over the last year, significant attention was dedicated toward combating this widespread issue on both a Federal and State Level. Michigan Recently enacted Michigan opioid laws were executed with the intent to save lives and decrease …
Continue reading “Recent Efforts to Tame the Opioid Epidemic”
IRS Issues Proposed Regulations On Deduction for Owners of Pass-Through Businesses: The Good, Bad and Ugly for Health Care Providers
In early August, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued proposed regulations that provide guidance to owners of pass-through businesses as to eligibility for a federal tax deduction of 20% of the income generated by the businesses. This deduction was part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Although the stated purpose of the proposed …
Before you draft an opioid policy, read this
It’s no secret that the United States is battling an opioid epidemic. As relevant for our Phoenix practice, in Arizona, Governor Ducey declared a State of Emergency on June 5, 2017 which led to the passing of emergency regulations, effective March 6, 2018, and the Opioid Epidemic Act of 2018, most of the provisions of …
Continue reading “Before you draft an opioid policy, read this”