For large and growing health care enterprises in Texas, data security and privacy compliance is no longer just a regulatory obligation—it is a core business need. Ignoring or otherwise failing to honor compliance requirements under HIPAA, the HITECH Act and evolving...
Texas Health Care Law Blog
Beyond the red flag: Proactive strategies for large healthcare systems to survive and thrive during a Medicare audit
A Medicare audit notice is not the beginning of your problem. By the time a Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC), Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) or Zone Program Integrity Contractor (ZPIC, now rebranded as Unified Program Integrity Contractors) shows up in your...
The ethical and legal implications of AI use in medicine
Artificial intelligence (AI) can perform several important functions in the workplace. It can help double-check work for errors. It can streamline previously labor-intensive job obligations, such as data analysis. AI can even automate certain functions, freeing up...
Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues
Medicaid enrollment increased from 2018 to 2019 by nearly three percent, and in 2022, Medicaid provided services for 89 million people while Medicare serviced 65,103,807 people. Some of the most vulnerable individuals in the US population, including millions of...
2 root causes of compliance issues in healthcare
Anyone working in the healthcare industry should already understand the importance of regulatory compliance. Aligning your practice with current laws and regulations keeps patients safe and protects you from legal issues. Compliance issues can occur even when...
Understanding the Anti-Kickback Statute
Kickbacks are a normal part of many industries. In healthcare, however, kickbacks are unethical, illegal and potentially a threat to patient care. The Anti-Kickback Statute addresses the problem of kickbacks in healthcare, while the safe harbor regulations provide...
Tips for preventing fraud in your medical practice
One of the biggest threats to your medical license is insurance fraud within your practice. If the medical board finds evidence of insurance fraud, they can suspend or revoke your medical license and potentially refer you for criminal charges. It is important to...
How nursing homes can help keep their licenses
In Texas, the Texas Department of Aging and Disabilities licenses senior care facilities. Having a license allows these facilities to continue to operate and provide care to the people who need it. However, certain circumstances can cause a nursing home to lose its...
Dallas-area doctor convicted in $54 million Medicare fraud scheme
The U.S. government annually loses billions of dollars to Medicare fraud. It is the type of crime committed by people you know, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical staff who provide services and medications that patients do not need and then pocket the...
The impact of telehealth on medical licensing
Medical licensing occurs at the state level, with each state establishing its own licensing requirements for practitioners and medical personnel like nurses. Recent interest in telehealth impacted state licensing requirements, with many states modifying their...