Compliance News Roundup: When Podiatry is a Real Pain in the Foot

1. Overlooking risks leads to breach, $400,000 settlement - If you’re a compliance officer like me, you already know that overlooking risks will probably lead to a breach. And that’s just what happened here. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), has announced a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) settlement based on the lack of a security management process to safeguard electronic protected health information (ePHI). Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN), a federally-qualified health center (FQHC), has agreed to settle potential noncompliance with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules by paying $400,000 and implementing a corrective action plan. Read the full article: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2017/04/12/overlooking-risks-leads-to-breach-settlement.html

2. ManorCare owner accused of hiding acquisition's Medicare kickback allegations - Real estate investment trust HCP has been sued for allegedly hiding Medicare kickback allegations against its skilled-nursing provider ManorCare from investors. In a proposed class action lawsuit filed in an Ohio federal court Monday, HCP shareholder Scott Weldon accused the Irvine, Calif.-based company of violating the Securities Exchange Act by hiding from investors that ManorCare, an HCP-acquired skilled nursing facility operator, was repeatedly accused of fraudulently billing Medicare for more than $6 billion. Read the full article: http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20170412/NEWS/170419963/manorcare-owner-accused-of-hiding-acquisitions-medicare-kickback

3. Deeper than Headlines: When Podiatry is a Real Pain in the Foot - Uh-oh. Foot problems are turning into legal difficulties for a Michigan podiatrist and things are not looking good. Dr. Lawrence Young, D.P.M. was indicted last week for providing services that were not rendered or not medically necessary; concealing the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and receipt and transfer of fraud proceeds; and diverting fraud proceeds for his personal use and benefit. It’s cases like these that we can all learn from. Read the full article: http://www.healthicity.com/blog/deeper-than-the-headlines-when-podiatry-real-pain-foot