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Health Care Law

EEOC Provides New COVID-19 Workplace Guidance (Again)

Given the easing of the pandemic, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has once again updated its guidelines relating to employers’ handling of COVID-19. These adjustments reflect the evolving nature of the pandemic and serve as a reminder that what was appropriate in 2020 and 2021 may no longer be the case. Most recently, the EEOC

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Mitigating Procedural Delays in Vietnam’s Pharmaceutical Market

The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries in Vietnam have seen a number of positive developments in recent years, including the passage of the Law on Pharmacy in 2016. Among other areas, Article 32 of the law provided clearer guidance on the rights and duties of pharmaceutical business establishments (PBEs), including in areas such as clinical trial

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Approval of Universal Healthcare under the Spanish National Health System

Spanish ministers have approved Royal Decree-Law 7/2018 for the provision of universal healthcare on the National Health System. Its main aim is to guarantee healthcare for all and to include vulnerable groups, especially migrants who are not registered or authorized to reside in Spain. Prior to this regulation, health care for such persons was limited to assistance

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U.S. Government Issues 2017 Cost-Of-Living Adjustments

Since 1975 the United States Social Security Administration’s general benefit increases have been based on increases in the cost of living, as measured by the U.S. Consumer Price Index. Prior to 1975 the benefit increases were set by legislation. These increases are called Cost-Of-Living Adjustments, or COLAs, and allow Social Security and Supplemental Security Income

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Is A Concierge Practice Appropriate For Your Medical Practice?

Concierge medicine is a rapidly growing and evolving supplement to traditional medical care. A concierge physician charges a retainer that provides the patient with services not covered by insurance. The arrangement typically includes enhanced accessibility to the physician, among a host of other services as determined by each concierge practice.  As the concierge medicine movement

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Patient Information: Avoid Severe Penalties For Disclosure

The federal standards for protecting the privacy of individually identifiable health information is enforced by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”). In recently imposing a $750,000 penalty for breach of unsecured electronic protected health information when a laptop bag was stolen from a car, HHS issued a strong statement regarding obligations

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New Teeth To United States Anti-Kickback Statute Enforcement

Health care anti-kickback statutes make it illegal to knowingly offer, pay, solicit, or receive any remuneration to induce or reward referrals subject to reimbursement by a U.S. federal health care program. Recently the Office of Inspector General released a Fraud Alert clarifying those transactions and arrangements it may deem questionable.  This Fraud Alert and recent activity

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