DOJ Launches Whistleblower Rewards Program Inspired by Old West Posters
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Deputy U.S. Attorney General (DAG), Lisa Monaco, announced during her keynote speech at the American Bar Association’s 39th National Institute on White Collar Crime that the Department of Justice would be implementing a new whistleblower rewards program. According […]
Good News and Bad News: Medicare Decreases Physician Rates but Mental Health Counselors Now Allowed to Bill Medicare
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm On November 2, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that decreased overall payment rates for services provided under the Physician Fee Schedule […]
Many Adverse NPDB Actions Are Reported That Should Not Be; Here Are Some Examples
We are constantly being contacted by physicians, nurse practitioners, and other licensed health professionals seeking to appeal adverse National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) reports. Often, we find that an adverse report has been made when the matter should not have been. Federal regulations and NPDB guidelines establish the types of incidents that are authorized to […]
Letter from the OIG Terminating You from the Medicare Program? What You Need to Do!
Have you received a letter from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) proposing to terminate you or exclude you from the Medicare Program? This is an extremely serious matter. You need to take action right away! For a physician or other health professional, this […]
FL Pharmacy Alleges Wrongful HHS PrEP Program Termination
On March 25, 2024, a Florida-based pharmacy alleged in a lawsuit it filed that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) abruptly cut it off from a federal program. This program provides free access to pre-exposure prophylaxis HIV-prevention (PrEP) medication for HIV patients. Turner Drugs filed a motion in the U.S. District Court […]
HHS Releases Final Substance Use Disorder Confidentiality Rule
By: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule modifying the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records federal regulations (42 C.F.R. Part 2). The new regulation will supposedly […]
Florida Man Guilty in $36.2M Telemedicine Fraud
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On March 20th, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in the Middle District of Florida, announced that a Florida man pled guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud in a $36.2 million telemedicine fraud scheme. As part of […]
Male Surgeon Wins $15 Million Verdict in Suit Based on “Reverse Discrimination” and Anti-Male Bias; Hospital Requests New Trial
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm In a massive jury verdict awarding a male attending physician more than he requested, a jury found that a hospital demonstrated reverse discrimination and an anti-mail bias in how […]
Under Medical Peer Review from the Military or the VA? Get Experienced Legal Representation Now
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Our firm is often consulted by military physicians, Veterans Administration (VA) physicians, and former military and VA physicians concerning matters involving peer reviews of their care. In the military, whether Army, Navy, or Air Force, peer review for […]
Florida Man Agrees to Plead Guilty in $110 Million Telemedicine Medicare Fraud Scheme
By: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 16, 2024, a Parkland, Florida, man agreed to plead guilty to organizing a Medicare fraud scheme worth $110 million. The federal prosecution is taking place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The […]
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Says Serial Killer Cannot Sue Psychiatrist for Medical Malpractice
By: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm On November 22, 2023, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania unanimously decided that a serial killer cannot sue his psychiatrist for gross negligence because the action is barred by the […]
Florida Man Strikes Again–Government Wants Life Sentence for Florida Man in $187 Million Medicare Fraud Case
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm On August 12, 2023, federal prosecutors recommended a life sentence for the Florida ex-CEO of a laboratory company who had been found guilty of fraudulently billing Medicare over one […]