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Showing 58 posts by Mindi M. Johnson.

Michigan will Pursue Federal Partnership for its Health Insurance Exchange

federal partnership for health insurance exchangeAt the end of August, Governor Rick Snyder announced that Michigan will be pursuing a federal-state partnership for its health insurance exchange.  Health insurance exchanges are a requirement of the federal Health Care Reform law.  Health insurance exchanges are designed to  facilitate the purchase of health insurance by consumers through an online, cost-competitive forum.  Each state has the option to: (1) operate its own health insurance exchange; (2) partner with the federal government; or (3) allow the federal government to manage its health insurance exchange. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchange, Insurance, Regulatory

Succession Planning Tips for Physicians

It is now widely accepted that planning for retirement is vitally important.  However, many business owners, including physicians, fail to properly plan for the transition of their businesses upon the owner’s or primary physician's retirement.  In fact, lack of succession planning is one of the most common reasons small medical practices fail.  In order to avoid such a result in your practice, please consider the following succession planning tips: Read More ›

Categories: Physicians, Retirement

Newly Released Audit Protocol Serves as Guidance for Compliance Programs

Newly Released Audit Protocol Serves as Guidance for Compliance ProgramsThe Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act ("HITECH Act"), passed in 2009, imposed new requirements on health care providers (among others) related to the privacy and security of Protected Health Information ("PHI").  Included in the HITECH Act's requirements was a mandate that the Department of Health and Human Services’ ("HHS") Office for Civil Rights ("OCR") conduct audits to analyze the processes, controls and policies of certain covered entities.  The pilot program for such audits began in 2011 and will conclude in December, 2012. Read More ›

Categories: Compliance, HIPAA, HITECH Act, Hospitals, Physicians, Regulatory

Foster Swift Attorney Interviewed on the Supreme Court's Health Care Reform Decision and its Impact

health care reform decisionFoster Swift health care law attorney, Johanna Novak, was recently interviewed on Michigan Business Network radio concerning the United States Supreme Court's long-anticipated decision on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the "Act").  The interview aired on July 6, 2012, and was separated into two parts.  Podcasts for both parts of Johanna's interview can be accessed here. Read More ›

Categories: Employment, Health Care Reform, Regulatory

Breaking News: US Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform

Today, the United States Supreme Court released its highly anticipated opinion regarding the constitutional challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the "Act"). The Court ultimately concluded that the Act was constitutional, but it did not grant a complete victory to the government.  The Court also held that the federal government may not withhold all Medicaid funds from States that fail to comply with the expansion of Medicaid provisions of the Act.  Instead, the federal government may only withhold new Medicaid funds from States that do not comply. Read More ›

Categories: Employment, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchange, Insurance

Recommendation: Deregulation of 18 Occupations and Elimination of 9 Occupational Boards

On April 16, 2012, the Office of Regulatory Reinvention (“ORR”) issued a report to Governor Snyder proposing the deregulation of 18 occupations and the elimination of 9 occupational boards.  Of particular interest to Michigan health care providers are the recommendations for deregulation of dieticians and nutritionists; ocularists; respiratory care providers; and speech pathologists.  The report also recommended elimination of the following, health-care relevant occupational boards: Board of Dietetics and Nutrition, Board of Occupational Therapy, Board of Respiratory Care, Board of Speech Language Pathology, and Osteopathic Medicine Advisory Board. Read More ›

Categories: Licensing, Regulatory

Recap from the Health Law Institute

health law instituteOn March 8 and 9, 2012, the members of Foster Swift's Health Care Law Group attended the 18th Annual Health Law Institute.  This two-day institute, which is co-sponsored by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the Health Care Law Section of the Michigan State Bar, focused on recent legal developments in health care law.  Specific topics addressed at this year's Health Law Institute included: Read More ›

Categories: Compliance, Fraud & Abuse, Regulatory

Massage Therapist Licensure Soon to be Mandatory

massage therapist licensureLicensure of Massage Therapists will become mandatory in Michigan in the near future. Proposed rules related to the requirements of such licensure were recently published in the Michigan Register.  The actual licensure requirement will become effective two years from the effective date of the final rules (which will likely be published later in 2012). Read More ›

Categories: Licensing, Regulatory

Make Sure you Know Who's Talking about Your Company!

In the age of instant access to online information, it is essential for a business to know what others are saying about it - both good and bad.  For example, a physician will want to confirm the glowing review of a recent article is properly acknowledged on the Internet but also that a negative patient comment is immediately refuted or deleted. Read More ›

Categories: News

New Licensure Requirements for Michigan Speech-Language Pathologists Released

On December 7, 2011, the final rules for Speech-Language Pathology were filed with the Michigan Secretary of State.  Among other things, the final rules require that any person who intends to practice speech-language pathology in Michigan must be licensed by December 7, 2013.  The rules also detail the requirements for licensure and give deference to individuals who have been certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

For more information about the licensure requirements for speech language pathologists and to obtain a copy of the current licensure application packet, please contact one of the health care law attorneys at Foster Swift.

Categories: Licensing, Physicians, Regulatory

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Best Lawyers® 2021

Congratulations to the attorneys of the Health Care practice group at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC for their inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2021 edition. Firm-wide, 44 lawyers were listed. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation and as lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Health Care practice group members listed in Best Lawyers are as follows:

To see the full list of Foster Swift attorneys listed in Best Lawyers 2021, click here.