On March 24, 2020, CMS issued updated FAQs relating to provider enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of note, CMS confirms practitioners can provide telehealth services from their homes provided that they add their home...more
Although we remain hopeful that Iowa will be spared the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and health care resources will be sufficient to care for all patients in need, we encourage hospitals and hospital-based physicians to...more
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed by the President Wednesday, March 18, and will be effective in 15 days (April 2). It has multiple provisions relating to items such as family food aid, PPE and other...more
On Friday, March 13, CMS issued new guidance for nursing homes in light of the spread of COVID-19. Nursing homes in all states are to restrict all visitors and non-essential health care personnel except for compassionate care...more
Q: Should we postpone elective surgeries?
A: Yes. On March 18, 2020, CMS released recommendations urging hospitals and physicians to postpone elective surgeries and services....more
On Friday, March 13, CMS issued new guidance for nursing homes in light of the spread of COVID-19. Nursing homes in all states are to restrict all visitors and non-essential health care personnel except for compassionate care...more
Many of our clients provide critical home and residential support services to children, individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, and the elderly. We understand there is widespread concern regarding how...more
As counsel to a number of Homeless Information Management System administrators, we were asked to address frequently asked questions from shelters and agencies who provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness. We...more
Q: Given that there is coronavirus in several places in the United States, can I take the temperature of every employee when they walk in the door?
A: The answer to this question is industry-specific. The EEOC issued...more
On Monday, March 9, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued revised guidance for nursing homes relating to COVID-19.
The new guidance confirms nursing homes should be implementing visitor restrictions,...more
Know when and how to contact your Public Health Department -
In this week’s webinars, the Iowa Department of Public Health detailed when providers should contact them. For example, the IDPH asked to be alerted when two or...more
As of this morning, Wednesday, February 26, we are fielding a number of questions from health care provider clients looking for COVID-19 specific resources for use in their emergency response preparedness.
Centers for...more
2/28/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Health Care Providers ,
Hospitals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Workplace Safety ,
World Health Organization
As the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases (COVID-19) continues to grow, we recommend health care providers take time now to review and update their policies and procedures relating to public health emergencies and...more
2/21/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Confidentiality Policies ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OCR ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Screening Procedures ,
Sick Leave ,
Supply Chain ,
Workplace Safety
On April 1, 2018, employer sponsored plans subject to ERISA and providing a benefit contingent on a disability determination will need to comply with new rules finalized by the Department of Labor (DOL). The new rules were...more
We receive many questions regarding the legality of CBD (cannabidiol) and hemp products in Iowa. While there appear to be widely different views on the legality of CBD, it is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled...more
Employers sponsoring wellness plans may see changes to the regulations authorizing these programs over the next year in light of a recent federal district court decision.
Background -
Last summer, a federal district...more
Last week the Senate released draft legislation entitled “The Better Care Act.” aimed at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Below is a summary of the Act and its potential impact on Iowa employers. ...more
Last month, former Governor Branstad signed House File 517 which significantly expands the rights of gun owners in Iowa. The legislation also allows Iowans to sue cities or counties that enact “gun-free zones.” ...more
In light of last week’s ransomware attacks overseas targeting hospitals and other providers, HHS is notifying providers in the United States of a warning issued by the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT)...more
Last week, Republicans got one step closer to repealing portions of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) when the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (“AHCA”). Due to procedural issues and division within...more
Employers complying with the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) by filing Form 1095-C increasingly face another question: Are they in compliance with their I-9 obligations?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires employers with...more
7/27/2016
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Duty to Investigate ,
E-Verify ,
Form 1095 ,
Form I-9 ,
Health Insurance ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
IRS ,
Penalties ,
Reasonable Cause Defense ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Social Security Numbers
Yesterday, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled the IRS’ interpretation of a key ACA provision is invalid. Specifically, the court found that the IRS did not have the authority to interpret...more
A small county in Washington has agreed to pay $215,000 to settle allegations that it violated HIPAA by failing to secure electronic protected health information. Skagit County maintained protected health information (“PHI”)...more
On February 12, 2014 President Obama signed Executive Order 13658 requiring federal contractors to pay a minimum rate of pay of $10.10 per hour. The new rate goes into effect for new contracts or “contract-like instruments”...more
On Monday, Feb. 10, the Obama Administration issued final rules implementing the employer mandate and providing welcome relief for many employers. The rules will delay compliance for employers with between 50 and 99...more