As healthcare organizations ring in 2026, they will also be ringing in a new era of AI regulation. With Congress yet to pass comprehensive AI legislation and federal regulatory guidance in flux, states have stepped in to fill the void.
Health Law Rx, published by Akerman LLP, focuses on legal developments and regulatory issues affecting the healthcare industry. The blog covers topics such as Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement policies, healthcare compliance and enforcement actions, data privacy and security regulations, information blocking and interoperability rules, healthcare fraud and abuse investigations, and state-specific healthcare laws and regulations. It also addresses emerging challenges in healthcare delivery, patient rights, and administrative requirements for providers and facilities. The blog provides updates on government agency initiatives, legislative changes, and enforcement trends relevant to healthcare providers, payors, and industry stakeholders.
As healthcare organizations ring in 2026, they will also be ringing in a new era of AI regulation. With Congress yet to pass comprehensive AI legislation and federal regulatory guidance in flux, states have stepped in to fill the void.…
In a September 3 Press Release, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it is increasing efforts to curb information blocking. This was quickly followed by a September 4 Enforcement Alert issued jointly by the…
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA or the Agency) recently issued a new proposed rule that would require all “providers” licensed by AHCA to have a “continuity plan” for data and information technology disruptions. The proposed rule would…
Don’t sit on those patient credits. Effective January 1, 2026, a new Florida law (CS/CS/SB 1808) requires licensed health care facilities, providers, and practitioners (each, a “Licensed Provider”) to refund any overpayment made by a patient no later…
The Florida Legislature recently passed a bill, called the CHOICE Act, that augments Florida’s laws governing restrictive covenants to make it significantly easier for employers to enforce two new types of noncompete agreements: (1) “covered garden leave agreements” and (2)…
An Idaho federal court has resolved the tension between that state’s restrictive abortion law and the federal Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) in favor of a hospital system’s obligation to stabilize pregnant patients even if that care includes…
In recent months, hospitals and healthcare systems across the country have seen an increase in random and unannounced worksite inspections by immigration officers, particularly targeting H-1B nonimmigrant worker visa holders. These inspections aim to verify employers’ compliance with H-1B program…
Practitioners who want to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth to patients in Florida must meet the requirements of both federal and state law. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Florida legislature have recently amended the applicable federal regulations…
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently rescinded its policy dating back to 1971 to now allow its agencies and offices to quickly alter certain rules and regulations without public notice and comment. The Nixon-era policy had waived…