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On November 20, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced an $80,000 HIPAA settlement with Saint Joseph’s Medical Center (“SJMC”) in New York State. The settlement was the result of OCR’s investigation of SJMC after the Associated Press...
Introduction The introduction to the final regulations issued under the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the United States Treasury (“FinCEN”) states that, “[i]llicit actors frequently use corporate structures such as shell and front companies to...
On November 21, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved a resolution allowing it to use “compulsory process in nonpublic investigations involving certain products and services that use or claim to be produced using artificial intelligence (AI) or claim to detect its use.” This allows the...
This month’s Friday Five explores a decision ordering an IME prior to a ruling on summary judgment motions, the extent claims reporting records can be sealed, the scope of ERISA preemption in the context of removal, and two decisions awarding summary judgment for the defendant despite the plaintiffs...
“Company applicants” — the term may sound vague, but the identities of “company applicants” of reporting companies are just as important under the new federal Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) as the identities of the beneficial owners of those companies. What You Need to Know: The era of...
What is the Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance? On November 9, 2023, the Chicago City Council passed the Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance (the “Ordinance”), which goes into effect on December 31, 2023, and increases the required amount of paid time off...
In early November, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) released its General Compliance Program Guidance (the Guidance). This was HHS OIG’s first update since 2008. What You Need to Know: This is the first compliance compendium released by HHS...
On October 31, 2023, a Missouri jury awarded the plaintiff class in Sitzer/Burnett v. Nar, et al a $1.78 billion damages verdict against several real estate brokerage companies and the National Association of Realtors, based on a finding that the defendants conspired to fix commission being paid by...
I. Introduction: On October 3, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court held oral argument in Community Financial Services Association of America Ltd. v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This case has potentially widespread implications for the consumer finance industry, as it challenges the...
On November 7, 2023, the City Council of Chicago approved a referendum that will put Chicago’s ‘mansion tax’ on the 2024 primary ballot on March 19, 2024. If passed, the measure would change the amount of real estate transfer taxes the City of Chicago imposes on commercial and residential properties...
On Halloween, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a $100,000 settlement under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) with Doctors’ Management Services (DMS), a Massachusetts medical management company that provides...
This month’s Friday Five covers cases relating to petitions for attorneys’ fees, unpersuasive self-reported evidence of disability, and a dilatory attempt to augment the administrative record. The Saul Ewing Employee Benefits/ERISA Litigation Team Western District of Wisconsin Slashes “Eye-Popping”...
In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published Advisory Opinion 23-07 and approved a plan by a multi-specialty physician practice to pay its employed physicians bonuses related to net profits derived from outpatient procedures...
In September, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued guidance on compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act’s adverse action notice requirements for lenders utilizing artificial intelligence in their credit decision process. Specifically, the Bureau noted that lenders may not rely...
On October 11, the Department of Justice released a settlement agreement it entered into with a large, Florida-based automotive management company for False Claims Act violations based on an allegedly improper forgiveness of a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Up to now, the DOJ has primarily...
On October 19, 2023, the IRS announced a special withdrawal process to help those who filed an Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) claim and are concerned about its accuracy. This follows the September 14 announcement of a moratorium on processing new ERC claims. The new withdrawal option allows...
On October 13, 2023 in Philadelphia, President Biden and Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) Granholm announced the seven regional hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs) selected for negotiation with DOE for $7 billion in funding. What You Need to Know: President Biden announced the selection of seven...