Legal

The recently enacted federal healthcare reform law provides health insurance coverage to the largest number of Americans while keeping federal costs as low as reasonably possible, according to an analysis.

When the medical malpractice insurance market came crashing down and premiums skyrocketed a decade ago, physicians began to focus on the cost of medical malpractice lawsuits.

The Federal Trade Commission called on Congress to alter the "Red Flags" rule legislation to exempt groups, such as physician offices, from the identity theft protection guidelines.

Insurance paperwork needs to be standardized, simplified, and transparent as part of healthcare reform, according to two medical groups.

Healthcare reform can "catalyze healthcare innovation that improves quality and reduces cost, if only investors, policy-makers, and companies rise to the challenge before us," according to a new report by healthcare venture capital firm Psilos Group.

The non-profit National Quality Forum has formed the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) to guide its ongoing work in health information technology.

After nearly a year of intense negotationas, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as healthcare reform, has become law. The question you're probably asking is, "What does this mean for me, my practice and my patients?

Physicians suggest the health reform overhaul does not address the day-to-day frustrations you face running a practice and will only add to the bureaucracy with little financial benefit.

A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would require all physicians and hospitals to publicly disclose prices met opposition in the first hearings earlier this month.

The increasing prevalence of electronic health records should help address the issue of illegible medical records in the future. If you write notes by hand, however, you must take the time to ensure that your medical records are legible, accurate, and specific. We share pointers to help you communicate with other healthcare professionals and create a good legal document for evidence should one be needed.

The federal government is increasing its efforts to detect overpayments in the Medicare program. We detail the steps to take now, before a notice arrives, and points to consider should your practice receive a request for a recovery audit contractor audit.

Massachusetts, the only state that requires its citizens to hold health insurance, held hearings in March about lower health insurance costs.

In diagnosis cases, you don't have to be right, but you do have to be reasonable.

Throughout the healthcare reform process, the AMA remained actively engaged in an effort to ensure that the physician voice was heard.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a monumental step toward providing Americans with affordable coverage, but there are uncertainties, according to the American College of Physicians.

A new white paper released by the Department of Health and Human Services? Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology highlights five options and recommends additional research in relation to consumer consent possibilities for electronic health information exchange.

The leader of the AAFP believes the healthcare reform bill is flawed but does benefit independent primary care physicians.

Two physicians' groups urged changes to the CMS' proposed definition of meaningful use of an electronic health record in the days before the rule's public comment period closed in mid-March.

A compliance plan can help protect your practice from allegations of healthcare fraud. Learn what such a plan should and should not include.

Two Texas nurses were cleared of criminal charges for using patient information to file a complaint against a family physician.

Several laws in addition to the federal False Claims Act and the Fraud Enforcement Recovery Act require careful attention.

Michigan physicians are fighting a receipt tax in the state's 2010-11 budget proposal.

The HITECH Act was swept into law as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It affects many aspects of your HIPAA compliance and means increased enforcement and harsher penalties for violators. Here's what you need to know.

When it comes to accommodating people with hearing, visual, mobility, speech, and other impairments, the ball has been in the physician's court since Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act went into effect in 1992.

The False Claims Act (FCA) prohibits the "knowing" submission, or causing of a submission, of a false claim to the federal government. The Federal Enforcement Recovery Act extends the reach of the FCA to medical practices that fail to notify the government of overpayments received. This situation creates potential liability for practices that fail to pay careful attention to their billing and collection processes.

In May, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and 15 hospitals statewide will try to reduce preventable hospital readmissions.

The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act took effect in April 2009.

President Obama's $3.8 trillion 2011 fiscal year budget contains earmarks that will benefit primary care physicians, according to the AAFP.

Medical practice leaders continue to experience administrative challenges reporting data for Medicare?s Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, according to results of a survey recently released by the Medical Group Management Association. Specifically, respondents reported difficulty accessing the feedback reports and said that the presentation of information in the reports was not satisfactory.

Several factors will determine whether converting traditional IRA assets to Roth IRA assets is the right decision for you.