The pandemic of 2020 tested the mettle of our nation’s healthcare system in many unexpected and profound ways. As healthcare delivery was being rapidly restructured to accommodate COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment and socially-distanced care, bad actors simultaneously began to exploit the increased number of vulnerabilities in health information systems created by telehealth platforms, patient portals and the inattention of stressed, overworked staff. The result was an unprecedented number of cyberattacks culminating in an alert from…

Recent conversations with associates at Husch Blackwell reminded me of my days as an associate. I recall wondering whether I was doing a good job, if more billable hours meant significantly more money, and what it would really take to be made partner. The firm had a mentor program, and associate reviews, but I still was unsure of the answers. Approaching a partner directly was intimidating. The partners who assigned me work were very smart,…

We previously outlined the requirements of the Hospital Price Transparency Rule (the “Rule”), which goes into effect January 1, 2021. See The Price Transparency Rule Goes Into Effect January 1, 2021 – Is Your Hospital Ready?  Since releasing that blog post, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its decision, ruling against the American Hospital Association and other hospital groups and upholding the District Court’s grant of summary judgement…

Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA) goes into effect January 1, 2021, and the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment adopted final regulations on November 10, 2020, regarding equal pay transparency. Since our last update, on December 18, 2020, the Division issued its Interpretive Notice and Formal Opinion #9 (INFO #9) in yet another effort to provide clarity around the job posting and pay transparency…

Widespread COVID-19 vaccination is considered critical for many employers to return employees to work safely and resume normal business operations in the future. As such, many employers have been asking whether they can require, incentivize or encourage employees to get vaccinated, and what liabilities they may face if they choose any of these options.…

Return-to-Campus Considerations is a limited series addressing the legal and practical considerations that institutions of higher education should keep in mind when responding to coronavirus-related concerns. In this final installment, Husch Blackwell attorneys Mary Deweese and Ragini Acharya discuss the use of clinical students and student volunteers in the care of COVID-positive patients, identifying key considerations for academic medical centers and other institutions of higher education as they navigate decision-making with respect to their clinical…