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H.R. 1253, the Health Insurance Restrictions and Limitations Clarification Act of 2009, was passed on March 31, 2009 in the House of Representatives by a vote of 422 to 3. 

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Read More House Overwhelmingly Passes Bill to Mandate Upfront Disclosure of Source of Injury Coverage Exclusions in Group Health Plans

Last week, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, (D-W.Va.) introduced the Preexisting Condition Patient Protection Act of 2009 (S. 623) (the “Bill”).  According to Senator Rockefeller, the Bill will address any coverage gaps created in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 regarding preexisting condition exclusions by eliminating the use of preexisting condition exclusions in all health insurance markets. 

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Read More Senate Bill Aims to End the Use of Preexisting Condition Exclusions by Health Insurers

The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (S. 2499) (the “Act”), signed into law late last year, contains a new mandatory reporting requirement for insurers covering medical expenses. 

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Read More New Medicare Reporting Requirement for Non-Group Health Plan Providers Effective July 1, 2009

Physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers may not be aware that the federal Red Flag Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 681, may apply to them. The Rules, which become effective on May 1, 2009, require covered entities to formally address the risks of identity theft and develop a plan to prevent such risks. 

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Read More New “Red Flag” Identity Theft Rules Apply to Healthcare Providers

As we previously reported here, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney signed a health care bill, known as “An Act Providing Access to Affordable, Quality, Accountable Health Care” (the “Act”), into law on April 12, 2006.  The Act became effective on July 1, 2007 and requires that all Massachusetts residents carry health insurance, unless they have a waiver for religious reasons or have a waiver from the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority (the “Connector”).  Individuals that do not have a waiver and do not have health care insurance face fines of more than $1,000 per individual for the 2009 tax year. …
Read More Recession Will Test Massachusetts’ Mandatory Health Insurance Program

On November 19, 2008, as part of the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule regulations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), published final rules regarding payment limitations on diagnostic testing and the application of the “anti-markup” rules for diagnostic imaging services (the “2009 Rules”). …
Read More Revisions to Anti-Markup Rule for Purchased Diagnostic Tests: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

This updates our January, 15, 2009 posting.  On February 4, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (H.R. 2) (the “Act”).  The Act extends the State Children’s Heath Insurance Program (“SCHIP”) through the 2013 fiscal year and expands SCHIP to cover an estimated 4 million additional children. …
Read More UPDATE: SCHIP Extension Signed Into Law