Nursing Law Blog | The Health Law Firm Blog

Woman Posing as Nurse For Six Years Sentenced to Prison For Health Care Fraud, Identity Theft, and Wire Fraud

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On September 23, 2020, a Tennessee woman who posed as a nurse working at several medical facilities was sentenced to more than four years in prison. In December 2019, she pled guilty to wire fraud, healthcare fraud, identity theft, and practicing nursing without a license.

How a Phony Nurse Gained Employment.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the woman posed as a registered nurse, despite not having a nursing degree or a nursing license, and having no nursing experience. To […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:54-04:00November 21, 2020|In the News, Nursing Law Blog|

Florida Passes New Law for Health Professional Background Screening

By Michael L. Smith, R.R.T., J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

For several years, many healthcare professionals have been required to pass a Level II background check in order to work in most Florida healthcare facilities licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Many healthcare professionals are also required to pass a Level II background check in order to be licensed by the Florida Department of Health (DOH). In March 2020, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 713, which will add the offenses of battery on a vulnerable adult and battery on a patient or resident of certain healthcare facilities (primarily nursing facilities) […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:57-04:00July 21, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Federal Judge Says Colorado Board of Pharmacy Must Hand Over Patient Identifying Data to DEA

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On April 22, 2020, a federal judge ordered the Colorado Board of Pharmacy to give the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) prescription drug monitoring program data on two pharmacies that the DEA is investigating. The data includes patient identifying information of more than 14,000 patients. The state must turn over the data by May 15, 2020, according to the order.

Pharmacy Investigations.

Citing concerns about the two pharmacies’ handling of controlled-substance prescriptions, the DEA issued subpoenas under the Controlled Substances Act in 2019. The DEA requested the information as part of an investigation into whether […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:57-04:00July 1, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Insurer Faces Lawsuit For Failing to Pay Pandemic Business Claims

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On April 14, 2020, several companies announced they are considering a class action lawsuit against Hiscox Insurance over its failure to pay business interruption claims relating to the coronavirus lockdown. Hiscox, sold policies before COVID-19 hit. The policies allegedly stated that they would cover claims related to businesses being forced to shut owing to a notifiable disease. Business owners have reportedly filed claims with Hiscox and other commercial insurance companies, only to be told that their policies don’t cover the losses related to the pandemic.

Pay Attention to the Policy Wording.

The company’s policy wording says business […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:58-04:00June 10, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Florida Pediatric Associates Files Suit For Alleged Non-Compliant EHR Program

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 16, 2020, a pediatrics group in Altamonte Springs, Florida, filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against a health care technology company called Greenway Health LLC (Greenway). Altamonte Pediatric Associates PA (Altamonte Pediatrics) says Greenway sold it an electronic health records (EHR) program that did not comply with federal standards and cost them a bundle in federal incentive payments.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

EHR Compliance.

According to the complaint, Greenway’s Intergy electronic health records software failed to comply with the federal government’s Meaningful Use program […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:58-04:00May 29, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Florida Dermatologist Pays $1.74 Million To Settle Medicaid FCA Suit

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 13, 2020, a Florida dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon agreed to pay $1.74 million to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act (FCA). United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced that Dr. Thi Thien Nguyen Tran and Village Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, L.L.C. agreed to settle the case involving allegedly inflated Medicare claims. The settlement concludes the qui tam (whistleblowers) civil lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Inflated Claims to Medicare Alleged in Suit.

According to the settlement agreement, from 2011 through 2016, […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:59-04:00May 28, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Yale Teaching Hospital Sued For Age, Disability Discrimination By EEOC

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On February 11, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNNH), accusing the university’s hospital of discriminating against older doctors. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, accusing the teaching hospital of the Yale School of Medicine of violating federal anti-discrimination laws. The hospital allegedly violated federal law by adopting and implementing a discriminatory “Late Career Practitioner Policy,” according to the complaint filed by EEOC officials.

Yale’s Late Career Practitioner Policy.

The EEOC stated that it appeared that Yale violated federal laws by […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:00-04:00April 27, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

National Nurse Attorneys Association Releases COVID-19 Paper in Support of Front Line Nurses and Health Workers

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On April 2, 2020, The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA) released a position paper providing an analysis of several key legal issues now facing nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals dealing with the novel coronavirus pandemic throughout the U.S. The paper addresses many key challenges faced by healthcare professionals on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), inadequate COVID-19 testing, and professional license/employment issues.

Main Issues and Recommendations.

Given the alarming number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., TAANA encourages federal, state and local governments and administrative […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:00-04:00April 22, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Finding an NSO Insurance Attorney to Defend You in a Complaint Against Your Nursing License or Nurse Practitioners License

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
Many nurses, nurse practitioners and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) carry professional malpractice insurance through the Nurses Service Organization (NSO) or one of the other similar insurance companies. This insurance is inexpensive and provides excellent coverage. What you may not realize, however, is that such insurance provides many added benefits, other than just coverage on nursing liability lawsuits. It will pay for legal defense expenses if there is a complaint filed against your nursing license. It will pay legal expenses for a lawyer to get involved and represent you if you […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:01-04:00April 14, 2020|Nursing Law Blog, Uncategorized|

Question: Is Exposure to COVID-19 For Nurses and Other Healthcare Workers, Causing Illness, Disability, or Death, Considered an Employment-Related Injury Under Workers’ Comp Coverage?

By Amanda I. Forbes, J.D. and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
In answering the question posed in the title of this blog, first, it should be noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies COVID-19 as an “occupational disease.” (Reference: World Health Organization, “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak: Rights, Roles and Responsibilities Of Health Workers. . . .”)

Click here to view the classification by the WHO on our website.

Most state workers’ compensation laws cover the worker for occupational diseases if the worker acquires it during the course and scope of their employment. For example, Section 440.151(2), Florida Statutes, states:

Whenever used in this section the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:01-04:00April 10, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|