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On June 6, 2024, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that he led a multistate coalition of eleven (11) state attorneys general in in submitting a comment letter (the “Comment Letter”) in response to the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (together the “Agencies”) request for information regarding consolidation in healthcare by private equity. On March 5, 2024, the Agencies issued a “Request for Information on Consolidation in Healthcare Markets,” on the same day the Agencies hosted a public workshop regarding the impact of private equity investment in the healthcare system. Continue Reading California Attorney General Advocates for Greater Antitrust Enforcement in Private Equity in Healthcare

On May 17, 2024, Colorado Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 24-205, the Colorado Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act (the “Act”). The law will take effect on February 1, 2026 and the Colorado Attorney General will have exclusive enforcement authority. As previewed in our prior blog post, the Act focuses on consumer protection issues when companies develop AI tools and imposes obligations on developers (i.e., creators) and deployers (i.e., users) of “high risk” AI systems. “High-Risk” AI systems (“HRAIS”) are defined as any AI system that “makes, or is a substantial factor in making, a consequential decision.” A substantial factor means one that (1) “assists in making a consequential decision”; (2) “is capable of altering the outcome of a consequential decision”; and (3) “is generated by an artificial intelligence system.” A consequential decision is a decision that has a material legal or similarly significant effect on matters related to education, employment, financial lending services, an essential government service, healthcare services, housing, insurance, or legal services. This article specifically reviews the impact the Act has on healthcare services.Continue Reading Colorado’s Artificial Intelligence Act Impact on Healthcare Decisions

At last week’s America’s Physician Groups Spring conference in San Diego, California, we listened as physicians and health system leaders described the ways in which they are responding to short and long term challenges to the sustainability of America’s healthcare system in its current form. It now stands at a critical juncture, facing challenges such as provider shortages and burnout, increasing concerns around access and cost for pharmaceutical products and other supplies, the increasing burden of managing chronic diseases, rising demand for services across the spectrum from an aging population, and balancing the transition to value-based care models in a predominantly fee-for-service environment.Continue Reading Acting Now to Sustain and Improve America’s Healthcare System: Advice from Innovative Physicians and Health System Leaders

California’s AB 3129, which would require private equity firms and hedge funds to obtain prior approval to consummate certain healthcare-related transactions, is now one step closer to becoming law following the State Assembly’s May 22, 2024 passage of the pending legislation. The legislation is now being considered by the California State Senate, where approval must be obtained prior to the end of the legislative session in August if it is to be enacted into law this year.Continue Reading Update: California State Assembly Passes AB 3129 Requiring State Approval of Private Equity Healthcare Deals

On June 1, 2024, nearly all health care facilities in California will be required to increase the minimum wage paid to health care workers, ranging anywhere from $18 per hour up to $23 per hour depending on the type of health care facility. Below we address the key questions these facilities should be asking to evaluate their current and future compliance with this new law.Continue Reading California’s Minimum Wage Increase for Health Care Workers is on the Horizon

The health care industry has been a particular focus of antitrust concern in recent years, including recent policy initiatives, private equity warnings, and enforcement actions from both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The new Task Force on Health Care Monopolies and Collusion (HCMC), announced this month by the DOJ, is the latest example of antitrust scrutiny on the industry.Continue Reading New DOJ Health Care Task Force Portends Continued Aggressive Antitrust Enforcement

This week in New York, many leading health systems came together for the long-running Not-For-Profit Health Care Investors Conference, now sponsored by Barclays, HFMA and the American Hospital Association. The conference allowed investors and industry observers to take the pulse of the nation’s non-profit health systems and to note some interesting trends.Continue Reading Notes from the Barclays 24th Annual Not-for-Profit Health Care Investors Conference 

On April 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (the “DOL”) issued a final rule (the “Final Rule”) rescinding the 2018 Association Health Plan rule (“2018 AHP Rule”), thereby marking a return to the more rigid pre-2018 regulatory framework governing association health plans. The 2018 AHP Rule, officially titled “Definition of Employer Under Section 3(5) of ERISA – Association Health Plans,” allowed these plans to bypass certain requirements under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”). The Final Rule will take effect on July 1, 2024.Continue Reading U.S. Department of Labor Rescinds Trump-Era Rule on Association Health Plans (AHPs)

As we previewed last year regarding SB 184 and the establishment of the California Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), California now has taken a significant regulatory step aimed at restraining growth in health care costs. On April 24, 2024, OHCA’s board (the “Board”) voted to implement its long anticipated statewide health care cost target, beginning with a 3.5% cap on spending growth in 2025 and decreasing in the following years. As with OHCA’s cost and market impact review (CMIR) reporting regime,[1] this cap will apply to “health care entities,” which include providers such as hospitals, facilities, outpatient clinics, large physician groups and clinical laboratories, payors and fully integrated delivery systems.Continue Reading California is Capping Health Care Cost Increases – Starting at 3.5% in 2025