Court Assesses $170 Million in Fines Against Two Texas Ophthalmologists For False Claims

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 18, 2021, the Justice Department announced that two Texas ophthalmologists and their eye clinic must pay millions of dollars in penalties for fraudulently billing Medicare. The penalties were assessed in connection with their evaluation and treatment […]

Florida’s New E-Prescribing Law: How It May Affect You and Your Career

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In 2019, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 831 (2019), Electronic Prescribing, into law. The new bill provides important requirements for prescribers to generate and transmit all prescriptions electronically upon their license renewal or by July 1, […]

Dentists: Challenge Overpayment Demands from Medicare, Medicaid Audits!

During our years of experience, we have gotten many calls from dentists who have been placed on prepayment review after failing to challenge the results of Medicare and Medicaid audits. Once placed on prepayment review, the payments are held up for many months. Some providers are even forced out of business as a result. Failing […]

CMS Announces Final Rule to Reduce Criminal Behavior in Medicare, Medicaid

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that strengthens the ability to stop fraud and abuse before it happens. The “Program Integrity Enhancements to the Provider Enrollment Process” goes […]

Follow These Steps to Challenge OIG Exclusion From Medicare

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]

The Administrative Process to Challenge OIG Exclusion Actions

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]

Steps to Challenge OIG Exclusion Action from Medicare Program

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]

How to Challenge an OIG Exclusion Action from Medicare

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]

So, the ZPIC Medicare Auditor Wants to Talk to You? What You Should Expect

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law You are a physician, nurse or other health care provider who bills Medicare. You have received that dreaded letter from the Zone Program Integrity Contractor (ZPIC) for Medicare advising you that it is auditing you for the Centers […]

Are You Worried About Health Care Compliance Consequences? Have They Gone Too Far?

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., LL.M., The Health Law Firm From large hospital systems to solo practitioners, there is no escaping health care compliance in the industry. The concept of compliance can spark different thoughts in different people. For example, some believe it is an unnecessary government intrusion and others believe it’s a way to […]

What is the corporate practice of optometry and what does it prohibit?

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The legal doctrine called the “corporate practice of medicine or optometry” actually refers to the legal prohibition that prevents a doctor or an optometrist from working for a corporation (or other business entity) that is owned, operated or […]

Avoid Being Labeled as a “Disruptive Physician” at All Costs

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Although “old news” at this point, on July 9, 2008, the Joint Commission (TJC) published the following alert to health care organizations: Sentinel Event Alert;  Issue 40, July 9, 2008 Behaviors That Undermine a Culture of Safety Intimidating […]

Finding an Attorney/Lawyer Who Takes Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance for Assisted Living Facility (ALF) Owners

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We often hear from callers and clients in professional licensing complaints, Department of Health investigations and the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), that they had good insurance coverage with Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance, but could […]

Finding an Attorney/Lawyer Who Takes Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance for Mental Health Counselors and Social Workers

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We often hear from callers and clients in professional licensing complaints, Department of Health investigations and Board of Mental Health, that they had good insurance coverage with Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance, but could not find an […]

Mental Health Counselors and Social Workers Should Not Have Difficulty in Finding A, Attorney/layer Who Takes Cph & Associates (CPH&A) Insurance to Represent Them in Complaint Investigations

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We often hear from Mental Health Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists and Family Therapists who call and retain us to represent them in complaints against their professional licenses in professional licensing complaints. This includes letters from the Department of […]