At the end of May, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the formation of a Civil Rights Fraud Initiative to “utilize the False Claims Act to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly violates federal civil rights laws.” In connection with the Initiative, we will see DOJ’s False Claims Act practitioners in the Civil Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices pairing with DOJ’s Civil Rights Division to “identify and root out instances in which recipients of federal funds fail to uphold their basic obligations under federal civil rights laws.”Continue Reading DOJ Civil Rights Fraud Initiative Will Use the False Claims Act to Target Antisemitism and DEI Programs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published the fiscal year (“FY”) 2026 proposed rule for Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) (the “Proposed Rule”). Comments to the Proposed Rule must be submitted by 5 p.m. EDT on June 10, 2025.Continue Reading CMS Proposes Medicare Payment Policies for Hospital Inpatient Services for Federal Fiscal Year 2026

On January 28, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14187 (the “EO”), which directed the federal government to take steps to ensure that the federal government does not “sponsor, promote, assist, or support” the “‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another,” including the provision of gender-affirming care to individuals under the age of nineteen. Specific provisions of the EO directed, among other things, that: (1) all federal agencies rescind or amend all policies relying on guidance issued by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health; (2) federal agencies that provide research or education grants to hospitals and medical schools take “appropriate steps” to ensure that institutions receiving federal research or education grants end gender-affirming care to individuals under the age of nineteen; (3) the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) take all appropriate regulatory and legal action to end gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of nineteen—such as through Medicare or Medicaid conditions of participation or conditions for coverage, clinical-abuse or inappropriate-use assessments relevant to State Medicaid programs; (4) the U.S. Attorney General to enforce an existing federal law against “genital mutilation” (18 U.S.C. § 116), and coordinate with state attorneys general to enforce state laws against gender-affirming care; and (5) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management include provisions in the Federal Employee Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits programs call letter for the 2026 plan year specifying that eligible carriers exclude coverage for pediatric transgender surgeries or hormone treatments.Continue Reading Recent Legal and Regulatory Developments Involving Gender-Affirming Care

The recent U.S. election has had profound implications for the healthcare industry, prompting industry leaders to reexamine their strategies and day-to-day operations. At the Miami Herbert Business School’s annual “The Business of Health Care” conference on January 24, 2025, a pivotal forum brought together stakeholders across key sectors—home care, hospital systems, payors, and others—to assess the election’s impact and chart a path forward. The conference highlighted the need for collaboration, innovative solutions, and strategic leadership in addressing the challenges ahead.Continue Reading Healthcare Industry Leaders Predict Four Areas to Watch After the U.S. Election: Takeaways from the Business of Health Care Conference Hosted by the Miami Herbert Business School

President Trump was sworn into office on Monday, promising swift action on several fronts. There is already a new Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) Chair, Andrew Ferguson, with former FTC Chair Lina Khan expected to step down shortly. At the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division (“DOJ”), proposed AAG Gail Slater will need to be confirmed by the Senate before she can take the helm.Continue Reading Looking Back and Looking Forward: Healthcare Antitrust in a New Administration: What Stays the Same and What Changes?

I’m honored to participate in the University of Miami’s Business of Health Care Conference on January 24, 2025. This highly anticipated event brings together leaders from the nation’s most influential health care organizations to discuss the evolving health care landscape under the incoming administration.Continue Reading Health Care at a Crossroads: Insights from the Post-Election Health Care Conference

In less than two months, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. President-elect Trump has already announced that he will nominate Republican Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer as his pick to serve as the next Secretary of the Department of Labor (“DOL”). It remains to be seen if the Trump DOL will continue the current administration’s targeting of the healthcare industry.Continue Reading Will the Trump Labor Department Continue the Current Sharp Focus on the Healthcare Industry?

Over two years into the post-Dobbs era, women’s health is taking center stage in the presidential election. In Dobbs v. Jackson, the Supreme Court overturned protections relating to abortion established in Roe v. Wade. Since then, approximately half of the states across the country have enacted or revived laws that ban or significantly restrict access to abortion. This case and the resulting cascade of legal disputes and legislative battles have created a highly dynamic and precarious legal landscape for women’s health. As a result, providers are left uncertain of their rights and obligations. Women in anti-abortion states face challenges obtaining reproductive care and, if pregnant, other medical treatments unrelated to reproductive care, while hospitals and clinics in nearby states without such restrictions are grappling with overwhelming patient loads. Continue Reading Women’s Health on the Ballot in November: What the Election Could Mean for Reproductive Care and Beyond