Mid-Atlantic Health Law TOPICS
Did You Know? Winter 2010
Nursing Home Penalties: Did you know that, in Universal Healthcare/King v. DHHS, it was determined that the following penalties against a nursing home were reasonable in relation to the degree of non-compliance: running out of a medication for a resident and failing to promptly request a refill, for which the nursing home was fined $300 per day; and failing to monitor the health of a patient who had been sedated, for which the nursing home was fined $4,000 per day?
Doctors Boycotting Rates: Did you know that several Idaho orthopedists and the Idaho Orthopaedic Society recently settled an antitrust action brought by the United States Justice Department? The government alleged that the otherwise independent orthopedists agreed not to treat most patients covered by workers' compensation insurance to force the Idaho Industrial Commission to increase rates. In addition, the government alleged that the orthopedists also collectively agreed to, or threatened to, terminate their contracts with Blue Cross of Idaho to gain better payment rates. Under the settlement, the orthopedists are prohibited from engaging in similar practices in the future.