Health Care Law Blog

Medicare Provider-Supplier Revalidation: Are You Ready?

All providers and suppliers that were enrolled with the Medicare program prior to March 25, 2011 will be asked to revalidate their enrollment information in the near future.  According to a statement issued by the Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS"), intermediaries will begin contacting providers and suppliers to do the following: Read More ›

Categories: Billing/Payment, Health Care Reform, Hospitals, Medicare/Medicaid, Physicians

Posted by: Jennifer Kildea Dewane

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Michigan Supreme Court Issues Decision on Small Employer Group Health Coverage

Small employers may soon expect to see provisions in their health plan policies requiring them to make minimum contributions to their employees' premiums as a result of a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision. On May 17, 2011, the Supreme Court of Michigan rendered a decision interpreting a provision in the Small Group Health Coverage Act (the "Act"), a law that requires every insurance carrier wishing to provide health care benefits to small employers in Michigan to offer all of its small-employer health plans to all small employers. MCL 500.3701 et. seq. 

For a complete analysis of this case, see our newsletter article entitled "Michigan Supreme Court Issues Decision on Small Employer Group Health Coverage."

Categories: Billing/Payment, Employment, Insurance

Posted by: Jennifer Kildea Dewane

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The Government is paying HOW much?

The Medicare Data Access for Transparency and Accountability Act ("DATA Act") was introduced in the United States Senate on April 7, 2011.  The DATA Act seeks to make public the Department of Health and Human Services' claims and payment data, which would include data on payments made to medical providers pursuant to the Social Security Act (i.e., Medicare).  Specifically, the data made available to the public would include the following: Read More ›

Categories: Billing/Payment, Medicare/Medicaid

Posted by: Mindi M. Johnson

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New Blue Cross Class Action Lawsuit Implicates Hospitals

On January 21, 2011, the City of Pontiac filed a class action lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan ("Blue Cross") and 21 hospitals and health systems (collectively, the "Hospital Defendants").  The complaint alleged that Blue Cross unlawfully restrained trade in violation of the Sherman Act and Michigan Antitrust Reform Act by including 'most favored nation' ("MFN") clauses in its contracts with hospitals.  (The effect of these clauses was to allegedly raise the minimum prices that hospitals could charge to Blue Cross' competitors.) Read More ›

Categories: Billing/Payment, Hospitals

Posted by: Mindi M. Johnson

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