Each year, the American Health Law Association publishes an annual Top 10 Issues in Health Law article. For 2021, the organization also curated a podcast series addressing each of the 10 topics in individual episodes. In this series, PYA thought leaders join other health law experts for in-depth discussions on the impact such issues have on the healthcare industry.

Below are the topics for the series, as well as a brief description of what is covered in each podcast.

A New President Signals a New Focus for Federal Health Policy

PYA’s Martie Ross joins Eric Zimmerman of McDermott Will & Emery LLP for the first episode of the series, covering the new presidential administration’s impact on federal health policies, including:

  • COVID-19 response
  • Coverage expansion
  • Prescription drug pricing
  • Surprise billing
  • Value-based care
  • Medicare solvency

Play Podcast

Fraud and Abuse Trends to Watch in 2021

As temporary changes to healthcare rules come to an end, COVID-19 will likely become a large part of the government’s fraud enforcement efforts in the coming year. PYA’s Carol Carden, along with Joe Wolfe of Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman, PC and Tony Maida of McDermott Will & Emery cover:

  • Stark and Anti-Kickback reform
  • The end of COVID-19 flexibilities
  • New enforcement efforts and targets

Play Podcast

A Movement Toward Racial Equity in Health Outcomes

Despite progress in racial equity as a result of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, systemic, interpersonal, and institutional racism persists. PYA’s Annapoorani Bhat joins Dawn M. Hunter of The Network for Public Health Law to discuss:

  • What racial inequity in healthcare looks like and how it can be better understood
  • The importance of policy and legislation in effecting change
  • What hospital systems, organizations, attorneys, and individuals at all levels can do to help move the needle on this important issue

Play Podcast

Massive Expansion in Telehealth Ushered in by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the public health emergency (PHE) brought on by COVID-19, there has been an unprecedented expansion in the implementation and use of telehealth services. PYA’s Martie Ross joins Sunny J. Levine of Foley & Lardner LLP to discuss the increased deployment of telehealth services in the future and the need for healthcare systems and governing bodies to collaborate to address barriers to telehealth to improve quality of care. Topics covered include:

  • Federal and state waivers
  • CMS code changes under the 2021 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
  • Drug enforcement and telehealth
  • The adoption of telehealth policies that affect today’s landscape

Play Podcast

Sharing Is Caring? Opportunities and Risks With Increased Interoperability in Healthcare

PYA’s Barry Mathis joins Alaap Shah and Elizabeth Scarola of Epstein, Becker & Green, PC in this episode to discuss data sharing in a robust, yet compliant manner.  They cover topics such as:

  • The drivers of data sharing
  • An aging patchwork of privacy laws
  • Filling the gaps in privacy protection
  • What’s on the horizon

Play Podcast

Resilience and Reinvention: Partnering in a Pandemic

In the first half of 2020, merger-and-acquisition activity nearly ceased, but then increased to near pre-pandemic levels in the second half of the year. PYA’s Michael Ramey joins Torrey McClary and Ranee Adipat of Ropes & Gray, discussing topics related to the pandemic’s effect on healthcare deals, including:

  • The pandemic’s impact on hospital deal flow
  • Changes to deal structuring and execution
  • Emerging trends in hospital/health system deal-making
  • Predictions for the upcoming year

Play Podcast

Vaccination Law in the Age of COVID-19

PYA’s Valerie Rock joins Brian Dean Abramson, author of the book Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law, to discuss how COVID-19 changed priorities and brought vaccine issues to the forefront of the conversation, including:

  • Regulatory approval
  • Distribution and prioritization
  • Mandates and exemptions

Play Podcast

Behavioral Health: 2021 Outlook

PYA’s Lori Foley joins Gerald “Jud” E. DeLoss, J.D., of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health to discuss the expansive changes in the way in which substance use disorder (SUD) treatment information is maintained and kept confidential: 

  • Previous modifications to regulations made by HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) addressing confidentiality
  • How the CARES Act dramatically modified the regulations, including:
    • Permitting the exchange of SUD treatment information with HIPAA-covered entities and business associates
    • Enacting stringent anti-discrimination protections
    • Limiting the use or disclosure of SUD treatment information in proceedings

Play Podcast

Price Transparency: The Transformation Saga Continues in 2021

As the country transitions into a new presidential administration, the journey to price transparency will likely have a few twists and turns and some possible legal rulings. PYA’s Kathy Reep joins Constance L. Akridge of Holland & Hart LLP in discussing hospital, payer, and drug price transparency issues and compliance, such as:

  • Hospital Price Transparency Rule
  • Transparency in Coverage Final Rule 
  • Transparency provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act
  • The recent Drug Price Disclosure Rule court ruling

Play Podcast

Risk Management and Professional Liability

Day-to-day changes during the pandemic affected every aspect of healthcare, creating risk management and liability concerns. PYA’s Bob Paskowski joins E. Dale Burrus and Lauren M. Nelson of Spencer Fane in discussing legal issues surrounding COVID-19, such as:

  • Risk management
  • Strategic risks
  • Court filings
  • Other liability risks, such as ransomware

Play Podcast

If you would like assistance with any matter involving strategy and integration, compliance, or valuation, contact one of the PYA executives listed below at (800) 270-9629.

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