In 2018, the top health story capturing the news headlines was the opioid crisis. These headlines encapsulated the pulse of the nation with regard to the opioid epidemic. In direct reaction to the opioid crisis and its effect on Florida’s citizens, the Florida Legislature adopted HB 21. Fraser Cobbe’s November 2018 Orlando Medical News article,…
Cyber attackers understand the value of the data that is held by healthcare organizations, and as a result, healthcare organizations are quickly becoming a perfect target for cyber attackers to steal copious amounts of patient records, insurance information, billing information and account information for their monetary gain resulting in identity theft and fraud against patients…
While most healthcare facilities, group practices, physicians and medical providers have medical malpractice or professional liability insurance, many healthcare providers and professionals are unaware that those policies may include an Administrative Defense Coverage (“ADC”) and/or Administrative Proceedings Defense Coverage (“APDC”) provision, add-on or endorsement. ADC/APDC is coverage that typically covers the legal costs for…
Incident-to billing presents one of the last remaining opportunities for physicians to multiply their services and increase their income without having to work harder. However, the regulations which govern this practice under both the federal Medicare program and the various state Medicaid programs can present pitfalls to unwary physicians and their staffs who fail to…
Health care providers are quickly moving toward electronic medical records (EMR). While estimated total market penetration is still less than 20 percent, many more providers are considering or transitioning to EMR. Physicians and physician group practices should understand the potential risks and pitfalls as well as the important considerations for assessing and negotiating EMR purchase and…
Florida Supreme Court Overturns Caps on Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Awards. In March, the Florida Supreme Court declared the statutory caps placed on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases unconstitutional in cases involving wrongful death claims. The Court did so in McCall v. United States of America which was a federal tort case involving medical…