The Texas Unified Licensure Information Portal (TULIP) is state’s web-based licensure system for the Health and Humans Services Commission (HHSC). TULIP was designed for licensed long-term care facilities and agencies, plus nurse facility administrators (collectively referred to as “providers”) to...
The end of the Public Health Emergency? And what comes next….
April 27, 2022
Recently, multiple organizations have urged President Biden and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to again extend the Public Health Emergency (PHE) designation and the emergency declarations currently in force. The PHE declaration was due to expire on...
Considering Medicare Advantage as Your Next Product Line? Things to Know…
April 5, 2022
Health plans considering Medicare Advantage or Medicaid as a new line of business need to be well informed of the greatly enhanced oversight and requirements they will face compared to state regulation of commercial plans. The process for enrollment is...
Is There Stale or Ambiguous Data in SAM.gov?
March 31, 2022
As one of the two primary exclusion screening lists against which federal contractors are required to check routinely, the health care industry relies on the accuracy of SAM.gov database to make hiring and retention decisions virtually every month. However, a...
Apache’s Log4j Vulnerability – A Sobering Message to Congress
March 25, 2022
On February 8, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee held a full hearing to address the Log4j software vulnerability made public in November of 2021 and to better understand the status of remediation and the ongoing impact. The...
Contractor Cyber-Security Fraud Now Subject to False Claims Act Penalties
March 21, 2022
In October 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative leveraging the federal False Claims Act (FCA) to address cybersecurity-related fraud by government contractors. According to the announcement from Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, the initiative seeks to...
The Role of OFAC in U.S. Sanctions of Russia
March 16, 2022
The recent events in Ukraine have resulted in an unprecedented imposition of crippling financial sanctions against Russia by the United States, the European Union and multiple countries around the globe. For the U.S., these sanctions are imposed and then maintained...
The Impact of the ACA’s “Allegations of Credible Fraud” Rule on States and Providers
February 28, 2022
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the ACA) brought health care to millions of uninsured Americans. However, in addition to the creation of health coverage options, this expansive act also included many other provisions that often get...
The OIG Considers Discontinuing Publication of LEIE Monthly Supplements
February 14, 2022
The HHS Office of the Inspector General has just issued a notice that the OIG is considering whether to discontinue its publication of monthly supplements to the LEIE. They are soliciting public input about the impact of this change on...
