Florida Pharmacy Sues Claiming HHS Wrongly Terminated it from Federal PrEP Program
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On March 25, 2024, a pharmacy in Celebration, Florida, alleged HHS abruptly terminated it from a federal program that provides free access to preexposure prophylaxis HIV-prevention (PrEP) medication. Turner Brothers Inc., which does business as Turner Drugs, filed […]
Pharmacy Technicians Allowed to Administer Immunizations After New Florida Legislation
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On July 1, 2022, Florida passed HB 1209, allowing registered pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations to patients. The new law utilizes pharmacy technicians to seek certification to provide immunizations and become “Certified Registered Pharmacy Technicians.” These pharmacy technicians […]
Florida Passes New Legislation That Allows Pharmacy Technicians to Administer Immunizations
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On July 1, 2022, Florida passed HB 1209, allowing registered pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations to patients. The new law utilizes pharmacy technicians to seek certification to provide immunizations and become “Certified Registered Pharmacy Technicians.” These pharmacy technicians […]
Florida Legislation Allows Pharmacy Technicians to Administer Immunizations
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On July 1, 2022, Florida passed HB 1209, allowing registered pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations to patients. The new law utilizes pharmacy technicians to seek certification to provide immunizations and become “Certified Registered Pharmacy Technicians.” These pharmacy technicians […]
How to Find a Lawyer Who Accepts HPSO Insurance to Defend Healthcare Providers
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, licensed mental health counselors, advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), and massage therapists often struggle to find experienced lawyers in Florida who will accept their professional liability insurance after receiving complaints from the Department […]
Protecting Your Pharmacist License: Locate an HPSO or Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Attorney to Defend You in a Complaint
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law All healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacies, should know the importance of good professional liability insurance. These policies protect them from the financial burden of legal expenses in case of any complaints or lawsuits filed against them. Healthcare […]
Locating an HPSO or Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Attorney to Defend You in a Complaint Against Your Pharmacist License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law All healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacies, should know the importance of good professional liability insurance. These policies protect them from the financial burden of legal expenses in case of any complaints or lawsuits filed against them. Healthcare […]
Finding a Lawyer Who Accepts HPSO Insurance to Defend Healthcare Providers
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, licensed mental health counselors, advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), and massage therapists often struggle to find experienced lawyers in Florida who will accept their professional liability insurance after receiving complaints from the Department […]
Feds Charge Three For Role in Multi-Million Dollar Scheme to Defraud Medicare, HIPAA Violations
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In October 2020, Massachusetts federal prosecutors charged three people for their alleged roles in a multi-million dollar plot to defraud Medicare. Two individuals allegedly collected patient data and sold it to the purported mastermind, who used it to […]
Three People Charged For $109 Million Scheme to Defraud Medicare & HIPAA Violations
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In October 2020, Massachusetts federal prosecutors charged three people for their alleged roles in a multi-million dollar plot to defraud Medicare. Two individuals allegedly collected patient data and sold it to the purported mastermind, who used it to […]
Law in Florida Allows Limited Pharmacist Medical Practice with Practice Agreements
By Michael L. Smith, R.R.T., J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A new Florida law allows pharmacists to practice medicine to a certain extent underwritten collaborative practice agreements with physicians who are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in Florida. The new law, signed by Governor DeSantis, took effect on […]
Certifying Emotional Support Animals and Protecting Your Healthcare License, Part 1 of 2
By Amanda I. Forbes, J.D., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified in Health Law In today’s stress-filed world if you are a mental health counselor or other professional counselor, it is likely that you will encounter a client seeking to obtain an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) designation letter from you. Providing […]
Three Charged For Roles in $109 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme, HIPAA Violations
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In October 2020, Massachusetts federal prosecutors charged three people for their alleged roles in a multi-million dollar plot to defraud Medicare. Two individuals allegedly collected patient data and sold it to the purported mastermind, who used it to […]
Two FL Pill Mill Owners Get Prison Time For Illegal Distribution Of Opioids
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 7, 2020, two owners of a medical practice in Tampa, Florida, were sentenced to federal prison time for their roles in the illegal distribution of opioids. U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Ernest Gonzalez to […]
Laws Governing ESAs and Service Animals, Part 3 of 3
By Amanda I. Forbes, J.D. This is part 3 of 3 in a blog series regarding the differences between Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals. Read part 1 and part 2. The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is a federal law that “prohibits discrimination in housing because of: race or color, national origin, religion, sex, familial […]
Non-physician Pill Mill Owners in Tampa Sentenced To Prison Time For Illegal Distribution Of Opioids
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 7, 2020, two owners of a medical practice in Tampa, Florida, were sentenced to federal prison time for their roles in the illegal distribution of opioids. U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Ernest Gonzalez to […]
Emotional Support Animals and Protecting Your License, Pitfalls and Tips, Part 2 of 3
By Amanda I. Forbes, J.D.; and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified in Health Law This is part 2 of 3 in a blog series regarding Emotional Support Animals (ESA) support letters being prepared by counselors and therapists. There are serious pitfalls that exist for the unwary mental health professional and, in […]
Certifying Emotional Support Animals and Protecting Your License, Part 1 of 2
By Amanda I. Forbes, J.D., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified in Health Law In today’s stress-filed world if you are a mental health counselor or other professional counselor, it is likely that you will encounter a client seeking to obtain an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) designation letter from you. Providing […]
CVS Fined for Prescription Errors and Poor Staffing at Oklahoma Pharmacies
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On July 16, 2020, the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy fined CVS, the nationwide pharmacy chain, $125,000, after auditors found safety issues and “chaotic” scenes at four of its pharmacies. State regulators in Oklahoma cited and fined the […]
New Florida Law Allows Limited Pharmacist Medical Practice with Practice Agreements
By Michael L. Smith, R.R.T., J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A new Florida law allows pharmacists to practice medicine to a certain extent underwritten collaborative practice agreements with physicians who are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in Florida. The new law, signed by Governor DeSantis, took effect on […]
Emergency Order Allows Florida Pharmacists to Temporarily Order, Administer COVID-19 Tests
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On April 24, 2020, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he would expand the opportunities for people to obtain COVID-19 tests by allowing licensed pharmacists to order and administer them. For purposes of preparing for, responding to, and mitigating […]
Emergency Order Allows Florida Pharmacists to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On April 24, 2020, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he would expand the opportunities for people to obtain COVID-19 tests by allowing licensed pharmacists to order and administer them. For purposes of preparing for, responding to, and mitigating […]
Florida DOH Issues Emergency Rules for Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Effective December 10, 2019, emergency rules for the regulation of medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) were issued by the Florida Department of Health (DOH). Also issued were notices of proposed rules to provide further regulation for background screening […]
Walgreens Agrees to Pay $7.5 Million To End Lawsuit Over Unlicensed Pharmacist
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 4, 2020, Walgreens agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle allegations that for more than a decade it let an unlicensed pharmacist handle hundreds of thousands of prescriptions. The pharmacy giant settled with authorities after an […]
Finding a Healthcare Provider Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance Attorney to Defend you in a Complaint Against Your Mental Health Counselor or Social Workers License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), and other mental health professionals carry professional malpractice insurance through the Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) or one of the many […]
Physician Gets 40 Years For Illegally Prescribing More Than Half a Million Opioid Doses
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 2, 2019, a Virginia doctor received a 40-year prison sentence for illegally prescribing more than half a million opioid pills over 19 months. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia handed down the […]
Florida Compounding Pharmacy Reaches $21 Million Settlement to End FCA Kickback Suit
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 19, 2019, a Florida compounding pharmacy reached a $21.4 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Southern District of Florida to resolve claims they orchestrated a $70 million kickback scheme. Diabetic Care […]
Physician Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison For Illegally Prescribing Opioid Pills
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 2, 2019, a Virginia doctor received a 40-year prison sentence for illegally prescribing more than half a million opioid pills over 19 months. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia handed down the […]
Compounding Pharmacy Agrees to Pay $21 Million to End FCA Kickback Suit
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 19, 2019, a Florida compounding pharmacy reached a $21.4 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Southern District of Florida to resolve claims they orchestrated a $70 million kickback scheme. Diabetic Care […]
Alaska Board Sends Contradictory Letter to Pharmacists Over Filling Opioid Prescriptions (Part 1)
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The “Opioid Crisis” in the U.S. We all know that there is an “opioid crisis” in the U.S. It is probably prevalent in every state. In Florida we have been suffering under it for the past ten to […]
Alaska Board of Pharmacy Sends Letter to its Pharmacists Sending Mixed Signals Over Filling Opioid Prescriptions (Part 1 of a 2 part series)
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The “Opioid Crisis” in the U.S. We all know that there is an “opioid crisis” in the U.S. It is probably prevalent in every state. In Florida we have been suffering under it for the past ten to […]
Law School Agrees to Drop Accreditation Suit
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On January 16, 2019, the Summit School of Law in Arizona (Arizona Summit) settled a lawsuit against the American Bar Association (ABA) over the decision to pull the law school’s accreditation. The for-profit law school, which is in […]
Virginia Doc Lands 40 Years in Prison For Running Multi-state Pill Mill
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 2, 2019, a Virginia doctor received a 40-year prison sentence for illegally prescribing more than half a million opioid pills over 19 months. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia handed down the […]
Virginia Medical Board Wins Appeal Concerning Doctor’s Revoked Medical License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On March 21, 2017, a Virginia appellate court ruled that a doctor’s state medical license was properly revoked for various reasons including allowing medical students to perform unauthorized medical procedures. The appellate court said the doctor’s due process […]