Stark Law waived to facilitate COVID related medical services

stark law waiver

stark law waiverBy: Jeff Cohen

The Secretary of Health and Human Services issued blanket waiver of the Stark Law on March 30th in order to facilitate COVID related medical services.  The waivers apply only to financial relationships and referrals related to COVID.  The circumstances and conditions under which the waivers apply are strictly and narrowly described.  Moreover, the waivers have no impact in the presence of fraud or abuse.  With respect to physicians wanting to provide designated health services (e.g. clinical lab services) related to COVID detection and treatment, for instance–

  1. the federal requirement that the DHS be provided in the same building as the physician office is waived; and
  2. the financial relationship limitations between the physician (or family member) and the DHS provider is waived.

The waiver also contains specific examples of waived interactions between providers and hospitals, including—Continue reading

$800,000 HIPAA Settlement for Leaving Patient Records on Physician's Front Porch

HIPAAThe Department of Health and Human Services announced this morning that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Parkview Health System, Inc., an Indiana medical group caught up in HIPAA violation case.  Parkview was assisting a retiring physician to transition her patients to new providers.  Parkview was also considering purchasing some of the physician’s patient records.  When Parkview attempted to return between 5,000 and 8,000 patient records to the physician, she was not home to accept their return.  Parkview employees left cardboard boxes containing between 5,000 and 8,000 patient medical records outside of the physician’s home, and within twenty feet of a public road.  In settlement and release of HHS’ claims against Parkview for such a HIPAA violation, Parkview agreed to pay the Department of Health and Human Services $800,000 and enter into a Corrective Action Plan.  The entire Resolution Agreement between Parkview and HHS is available here.