(ROYAL OAK) – Michigan’s health department was assigned to craft a report detailing the impact of potential future federal Medicaid cuts as part of an executive directive Gov. Gretchen Whitmer penned this month at a press event at Beaumont University Hospital.

The U.S. House is considering up to $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years, which KFF (formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation) projects represents 29 percent of state-financed Medicaid spending per resident, to cover the costs of extending tax cuts President Donald Trump signed in 2017.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) said House Republicans have circled May 7 on the calendar as the day they will roll out more details on the reductions, which she said is [Read More]

Nearly nine years ago, Faith Brown watched her armed husband kill her four children after she served him divorce papers. Now she visits the Capitol with a funding request to legislators, saying Michigan’s newest gun laws won’t protect domestic violence survivors if shelters close.

“He killed our four children in front of me. He shot me, cut me with a knife and left me for dead. What was so chilling was how calm he was. He wasn’t angry. He didn’t yell. He just did it,” Brown said. “I remember waking up in the hospital. A social worker gave me a folder with resources to try to help me put my life back together. [Read More]

By DANIEL AYYASH & KELSEY CLAUSS
Wachler & Associates, P.C.

Healthcare providers are well aware of the complexities and demands of Medicare audits and the havoc they can wreak. However, with careful billing, attention to detail, and thorough documentation, it is possible to turn the tide. However, a recent trend indicates that Medicare audits are being scrutinized much more closely and are quickly evolving into something far more serious—an investigation under the False Claims Act (FCA).

The Medicare audit process typically involves a review of healthcare claims, medical records, billing codes, and supporting documentation. When alleged discrepancies are found—such as improper coding, overbilling, inaccurate claims, or inadequate documentation—providers may face overpayment allegations, repayment demands, [Read More]

By LEE G. PETRO & KIMBERLY RUPPEL
Dickinson Wright

The future of healthcare once seemed like science fiction—think of The Jetsons, the iconic 1960s animated show where families communicate via video calls and receive virtual checkups. But today, telehealth has rapidly become a reality, thanks to technological advances and broadband expansion. However, key funding mechanisms are now under scrutiny, raising questions about whether this future will continue to grow or stall.

Recent advancements in broadband infrastructure have fueled the rapid expansion of telehealth services. Underpinning this significant growth has been the expansion of the broadband infrastructure over the past five years to ensure that healthcare providers and patients have reliable communications services. However, [Read More]

Lansing Lines is presented in cooperation with MIRS, a Lansing-based news and information service.

El Sayed Handing Out Grades To Kennedy

The former director of the Detroit and Wayne County health departments is awarding two grades to the new federal health director, RFK, Jr.

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed gives Robert F. Kennedy Jr. an A for focusing on the major nutrition problem facing this country, but a D for suggesting the wrong solution.

“He is bringing attention to the long-term problem of nutrition in an industry dominated by huge corporations producing the wrong kinds of foods that are ultra-processed and delivered in ways just to get us to consume more (and) he defines the problem and then brings [Read More]

By PAUL NATINSKY

As Robert F. Kennedy eases into the Health and Human Services director’s chair, his flashpoints and shortcomings are widely publicized, but lightly opposed.

Kennedy’s skeptical views on vaccine effectiveness and safety, fondness for fringe conspiracy theories and likely embrace of deep Medicaid cuts have the healthcare community and many policymakers concerned about the new secretary’s public health stewardship.

Kennedy’s lack of administrative acumen looms large as he assumes control over a department that employs 80,000 and oversees a $3 trillion annual expenditure representing 22.8% of the U.S. federal budget.

Kennedy lacks managerial experience at organizations even a small fraction of that size. HHS is responsible for the care of 140 million [Read More]

By PHIL GALEWITZ

Medicaid is under threat — again.

Republicans, who narrowly control Congress, are pushing proposals that could sharply cut funding to the government health insurance program for poor and disabled Americans, as a way to finance President Donald Trump’s agenda for tax cuts and border security.

Democrats, hoping to block the GOP’s plans and preserve Medicaid funding, are rallying support from hospitals, governors, and consumer advocates.

At stake is coverage for roughly 79 million people enrolled in Medicaid and its related Children’s Health Insurance Program. So, too, is the financial health of thousands of hospitals and community health centers — and a huge revenue source to all states.

On Feb. 13, the House [Read More]

By AMY MAXMEN

Some private schools have shut down because of a rapidly escalating measles outbreak in West Texas. Local health departments are overstretched, pausing other important work as they race to limit the spread of this highly contagious virus.

Since the outbreak emerged three weeks ago, the Texas health department has confirmed 90 cases with 16 hospitalizations, as of Feb. 21. Most of those infected are under age 18. Officials suspect that nine additional measles cases reported in New Mexico, across the border from the epicenter of the Texas outbreak in Gaines County, are linked to the Texas outbreak. Ongoing investigations seek to confirm that connection.

Health officials worry they’re missing cases. [Read More]

By STEPHEN SHAVER
Consultant, Wachler & Associates PC

Nearly every third-party payor of claims for healthcare services – Medicare, Medicaid plans, commercial insurers, etc. – will at some point request that the billing provider submit copies of the documentation and medical records that support the services billed. In these circumstances, an ounce of prevention is often worth a pound of cure. The payor will often make decisions regarding coverage and overpayment allegations based on the records submitted by the provider. The provider can proactively address or even prevent many disputes by careful attention to their response to the medical records request.

First, a provider should be aware of what entity issued the request, [Read More]

By ERICA ERMAN
Dickinson Wright

Can you remember healthcare security 20+ years ago? It seems like a different world from now. Believe it or not, the HIPAA Security Rule has barely changed since it was first enacted in 2003[1]and has been long overdue for a significant remodel. Read on for highlights of the proposed new Security Rule and action items.

A Very Brief HIPAA History

 As a quick background, the HIPAA Security Rule was first penned in large part to create minimum security standards for electronic protected health information (ePHI) and to protect patients’ rights over their healthcare data. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) of [Read More]