By: Chase Howard
IV hydration therapy has many applications and purposes. In the most common cases, the purpose is for post-surgery recovery or wellness optimization. IV therapy businesses that want to offer a more concierge type of service by offering mobile or in-home services, need to be aware of Florida home health agency laws and regulations.
By: Chase Howard
In most cases, the limited liability company, or LLC, is the preferred business structure for a wide variety of healthcare businesses. If you’re a licensed professional, you can also use the professional limited liability company, or PLLC for your healthcare practice or business. While generally these two entity types are the same, there’s a small difference to be aware of when organizing the company.
By: Jeff Cohen
FMVs are at the heart of healthcare regulatory compliance when money or anything of value changes hands in a healthcare business setting. Why? Two reasons:
How it Goes—A Six Part Process
Locking down an externally performed FMV (part of the “gold standard” in regulatory compliance) is a process. Here’s what it should look like:
Step 1. The healthcare business person or his/her advisors (often accountants) find someone who specializes in performing FMVs for the specific matter (e.g. compensation, price of a business to be acquired);
Step 2. The LAWYER for the healthcare business is immediately involved in the process BEFORE the FMV firm is engaged;
Step 3. The LAWYER engages the FMV firm on behalf of the healthcare business client;
Step 4. The parties (including the lawyer) get on the phone or in a meeting with the “FMV guy” and has a very extensive conversation re the project;
Step 5. Once the FMV process done, a DRAFT FMV study is prepared and discussed interactively with the healthcare business and the lawyer;
Step 6. Once finalized, an execution copy is prepared and provided to the lawyer.Continue reading
By: Chase Howard
The new autonomous practice regulations allow certain Nurse Practitioners to practice independent of physicians, without supervision, in certain settings. While we’re awaiting further declarations and definitions from the Board of Nursing as to what is including in primary care, there is already an opportunity for autonomous practice nurse practitioners to establish concierge and direct primary care offices.
The concierge practice model and the direct primary care model, however, are still regulated depending on the way patients pay.Continue reading
By: Zach Simpson
There have been a rise in cases recently, in which practices that operate under a Health Care Clinic License have been brought under scrutiny by insurance companies trying to recoup funds through any means possible. In an effort to claw back funds insurance companies are beginning to claim that medical directors are failing to meet their statutory obligations under Florida Law which in turn can have serious monetary repercussions. Due to the clinics allegedly failing to meet their statutory obligations the insurance companies are filing suit to recoup any payments made while violating the Health Care Clinic Act obligations, and to stall any future payments due until such cases are heard.
By law, a medical director must be a health care practitioner that holds an active and unencumbered Florida license as a medical physician, osteopathic physician, chiropractic physician, or podiatric physician. The type of services provided at a clinic may dictate who would be able to serve as a clinic’s medical director, because a medical director must be authorized under the law to supervise all services provided at the clinic.
By: Chase Howard
With the passage of autonomous practice ability for nurse practitioners in Florida this year, many are wondering how this will affect the healthcare industry in Florida. In a traditional sense, rural and underserved areas should have the opportunity for growth in healthcare providers. The autonomous practice law removes restrictions on certain nurse practitioners, granting them the ability to practice in primary care practice settings without worrying about supervision restrictions. Outside of that, the application of the new law can expand healthcare business offerings and abilities. Continue reading
By: Karen Davila
You do everything right. You’re careful to dot your i’s and cross your t’s. Compliance is hard-wired because you’re in an industry that’s highly regulated and you’ve built into your operations a series of compliance checks and balances. However, even with strong controls in place, compliance efforts sometimes fall short– and whether you’re a physician group, a pharmacy, a durable medical equipment company, a home health agency, or any other health care provider, someday you might find yourself face-to-face with law enforcement officials or regulatory enforcement authorities. What do you do? How do you assure the most successful outcome with minimal business disruption?
Compliance is the foundation to mitigating the risks inherent in any health care operation. Compliance can reduce the likelihood that regulators or law enforcement suddenly appear on your doorstep. But preparation for emergencies and uncertainties is the key to reducing the risk that non-compliance leads to lengthy business interruption. Although you may be saying “if”, you really should be thinking and acting more like “when”. It costs everything to be ill-prepared and it costs very little to be well-prepared. The following preparation can prevent much of the uncertainty that arises in these cases.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
First and foremost, make sure you have well-developed policies and procedures for what to do in such instances. You should review these policies and procedures with your employees regularly, focusing on the importance of compliance. Out of fear and uncertainty, employees can do things that create unnecessary challenges. Educating them as to what their rights and responsibilities are will mitigate those risks. Make sure your policies and procedures include the designation of who is in charge (“person in charge”) when the government does show up.Continue reading
By: Jeff Cohen
A 2018 Department of Justice civil settlement involving a Florida interventional pain physician was a cliff hanger when it surfaced, especially vis a vis the issue of the so-called Company Model, where anesthesiologists and referring physicians jointly owned an anesthesia provider. The Daitch settlement involved interventional pain specialists who settled the case for $2.8 Million. There, the government claimed that a mass of urine drug tests weren’t reasonable or medically necessary. But the issue buried in the settlement call the issue of intertwined medical businesses and the Company Model into question.
The so-called Company Model involves the formation of a company that provides anesthesia services. It’s jointly owned by anesthesiologists and referring physicians. Theoretically, on a Monday, the anesthesiologists own the anesthesia practice and bill for all anesthesia services performed at a GI lab or ASC. On a Tuesday, however, the new company (jointly owned by the same anesthesiologists and the referring physicians) steps in and starts billing for the anesthesia services, thus indirectly sharing a part of the profits with the physicians who are generating the anesthesia referrals.
By: Jeff Cohen
A recent Department of Justice $500,000 settlement with a cardiology practice underscores the need for ensuring tighter compliance by medical practices. There, the practice billed Medicare for cardiology procedures for which interpretive reports were also required. Medicare paid for the procedures, but upon audit, CMS could not find the requisite interpretive reports. The False Claims Act case settled for $500,000, but it’s likely that (1) the reimbursement by Medicare was far less, and (b) the legal fees behind the settlement weren’t too far behind the settlement amount! Had the practice self-audited each year, would they have found the discrepancy?
Medical practices have felt the weight of price compression and regulatory load more than probably any segment in the healthcare sector. They are doing far more for far less. And regulations expand faster than viruses! Hence, many have a strategy of regulatory compliance that can best be characterized as a combination of facial compliance (“We bought the manual and put it on the shelf”) and hope (“They’re not really serious about this, are they?”). Unless you’re part of a practice of more than 20 doctors, it’s likely that you can do more to ensure regulatory compliance.
If you own or operate a florida medical business, contact Florida Healthcare Law Firm to make sure you are legally compliant, up to date with telehealth regulations and ready for your next audit.
If you are the owner or chief operating officer of a florida medical business, then you are likely dealing with a lot more than health care on a daily basis. You’re probably facing an avalanche of ever-changing state and federal policies. Trying to interpret each one is like juggling three balls in the air and waiting for one to drop. But you don’t have to be a master juggler. You’re not expected to understand the nuance of every piece of legislation that comes your way. With the expert attorneys at Florida Healthcare Law Firm, you can concentrate on your practice, while we navigate the landscape of healthcare policy. From regulatory compliance to payor issues, telemedicine, operations, start-ups, technology and ZPIC audits for fraud, we will coach you, prepare you, counsel you and, above all, educate you so you better understand the implications of every future professional decision you make. We even offer free webinars on hot topics such as diagnostic imaging and radiology compliance, lessons learned from 2020 that can make 2021 easier and how to protect your pharmacy from risky prescriptions. From A to Z, we’ve got you covered.
But if you’re interested in something specific, our boutique firm will cater to your needs. For example, when it comes to finding a florida medical license lawyer, our team is unmatched. If you’re like most physicians, the documentation that allows you to practice is one of your most valuable possessions. And you work hard to maintain its integrity. But sadly, one error, one unhappy patient or one miscommunication could be catastrophic and could even cause you to lose your career. If this happens, don’t waste a second in calling the best representation you can find. You can’t count on the board siding with you. You can’t count on dismissal of your case based on what you consider a frivolous complaint. You cannot risk having your credentials revoked. Our team with 150 years of collective experience focuses solely on doctors and their needs. We know your business so let us take care of saving it for you. We’ll partner with you and will work until we achieve success—our guarantee. Be proactive and call Florida Healthcare Law Firm for a complimentary consultation.