Healthcare giant Centene Corporation is facing allegations of cancelling job interviews due to religious accommodation for the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a complaint reported by Law.com’s Radar. The points of contention revolve around complex issues concerning individual rights and corporate policies with regards to health and safety. The complaint details that potential employees had their…
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the biosimilar for Tysabri®, developed by Sandoz. JD Supra reports this as an important milestone in biosimilar drug production. It wasn’t long ago when the approval process and introduction of biosimilar drugs to the marketplace was moving at a slow pace, causing increasing worry…
In light of recent legal news, Advocate Aurora Health, a major player in America’s healthcare sector, has agreed to pay an eye-catching $12.25 million to settle a class action lawsuit resulting from a large-scale data breach. Through the use of tracking pixels on their website to monitor visitor activity, Advocate Aurora Health unintentionally compromised the…
As an ongoing response to health disparities, the state of Illinois has implemented two laws this year to address these chronic issues, including concepts supportive of federal health equity promotion efforts. Starting in 2025, certain licensed healthcare providers in Illinois will be required to complete one hour of cultural competency training as part of their…
As healthcare continues to evolve in response to technological advancements and ongoing global health crises, a focus on remote patient care has risen to the forefront. A considerable development came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 13. The CMS released its annual Proposed Rule that updates the Medicare Physician Fee…
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued draft guidance with regard to obtaining postmarketing data on populations who are typically underrepresented in drug clinical trials. The guidance, titled “Postmarketing Approaches to Obtain Data on Populations Underrepresented in Clinical Trials for Drugs and Biological Products” is intended to help clarify the agency’s current stance…
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, one could imagine the surprise among many, learning that HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), doesn’t give broad protection for all health-related data. This acknowledgment spurred conversations among lawmakers, leading to some states passing statutes designed to protect consumer health data. Nevada has recently joined other states,…
In a significant shift, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a strategic reorientation of attention to medical-billing practices within the state. Ellison’s office will now be undertaking an initiative that involves proactive measures, including conducting public listening sessions and compiling online submissions to learn more about consumers’ experiences associated with medical billing. These steps signal…
In a recent, much-anticipated judgement given on August 15, 2023, the Tenth Circuit Court decided the PCMA v. Mulready case, rejecting Oklahoma’s argument that its pharmacy network requirements were not preempted by ERISA (The Employee Retirement Income Security Act). A detailed report on this judgment can be found in an article in JD Supra. The…
In an informative Q&A session, Jennifer Steiner shares her journey across different levels of the healthcare services sector, from Fortune 100 companies to startups backed by private equity. Her current endeavor is a private equity-backed startup, presumably poised to make a meaningful impact in addressing the mental health crisis in the United States. This session…
In a strong legal stance, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit issued a decision that reinforces long-standing federal protections. This decision primarily impacts employer and union-sponsored health plans, emphasizing their rights to design their own health benefit plans, including provider networks. Further pivotal to this judgement is the assertion that it is…
Following the European Commission’s proposed Artificial Intelligence Act in April 2021, industry focus has significantly shifted towards the rising number of AI solutions. More specifically, those that leverage Generative AI to create content such as text, images, or videos for various purposes across different industries, from entertainment to healthcare. Originally, these advancements were not seen…
With the increasing prevalence of the False Claims Act (FCA) in heavily regulated industries, many companies and legal professionals are likely to encounter a third-party subpoena at some point. As a legal tool often used in discovery processes, it is imperative to understand how to respond when presented with one. Considering the ongoing litigation trends…
Generic drug manufacturers Teva Pharmaceuticals and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals have recently become the sixth and seventh drug makers to resolve criminal charges as a result of the Department of Justice (DOJ) yearslong investigation into generic drug price fixing. The settlement agreement commands both companies to pay substantial fines as well as divest their drug lines for…
In a time when mental health support is deemed essential for workplaces, more than half of managers grapple with achieving the company’s wellbeing targets. Although this statistic—presented in a recent study by Deloitte—may ring alarm bells, Spring Health, a New York City-based digital mental health company has taken strides to address this growing concern. It…
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have remained relatively languid within the healthcare sector as we moved into the latter half of 2023. However, there is an air of expectancy that this lethargy might be lifted soon. Experts, such as M&A lawyer Matt Gardella from Mintz, argue that market conditions hint towards a resurgence in biopharma M&A…
In a series of consolidated wrongful-death suits against a nursing home relating to COVID-19 complications suffered by residents during the pandemic’s outset, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District fielded a significant question. The court was asked to determine whether Executive Order No. 2020-19 offers “blanket immunity for ordinary negligence [claims] to healthcare facilities that…
U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-New Jersey), a ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, announced an investigation into the “high rates” of prior authorization denials by Medicaid managed care health plans. Prior authorization is an insurance practice requiring patients to obtain approval for certain healthcare services before receiving the care. This practice is…
The recent ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on the case of Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food & Drug Administration is engendering notable responses from various state attorneys general. The court’s decision, released on Wednesday, stipulates the cessation of mail-order access to the FDA-approved abortion pill, Mifepristone. The judgement,…
In a turn of events that brings some relief to healthcare consumers, approximately 43,000 former patients of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare in California could potentially receive bill corrections and refunds. This comes as the health system, which incorporates a network of primary and specialty clinics as well as three acute care hospitals including Santa Clara…
Attorneys often grapple with the line between professional conduct and personal relationships when dealing with clients. This has led to debates on whether friendship between lawyers and their clients is acceptable or not. According to an article on Above the Law, lawyers are generally free to develop friendships with their clients, as long as there…
Following the dismissal of Johnson & Johnson’s second talc bankruptcy, plaintiffs’ lawyers are showing a renewed commitment to their plans of pursuing trials nationwide. The leading attorneys in the talc multidistrict litigation, have suggested a bellwether trial plan in a letter to the judge on August 11. This proposed strategy includes the pursuit of consolidated…
In the realm of employment law, July 2023 has marked several important decisions by Californian courts. The following are summaries of key judgments, unpacking their implications for legal professionals working in multinational corporations and the foremost law firms. Kuciemba v. Victory Woodworks Inc., 14 Cal. 4th 993 (2023): The details of the case remain undisclosed,…
The No Surprises Act (NSA), a landmark piece of legislation affecting the healthcare industry, has been in effect since January 2022. Despite its intent to mitigate the financial strain of unexpected medical bills for patients, the act has continuously faced litigation initiated by healthcare providers since its implementation. Both state and federal agencies are scrutinizing…
Mary L. Smith has made history becoming the first Native American female president of the American Bar Association (ABA), the largest voluntary bar association across the globe. Smith, who is also vice chair of the VENG Group—a national consulting firm—and a remarkable figure in healthcare executive leadership, assumed her new role at the ABA on…