Mark F. Weiss, JD The Mark F. Weiss Law Firm, Dallas, TX, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CAIt's a riddle almost as inscrutable as that of the Sphinx: How can a physician or pharmacist or facility owner be convicted of a federal crime for violating a state law? The answer is, unfortunately, quite simple, quite questionable and quite dangerous. It tu...

​SUMMARY The Office of Inspector General has begun issuing monthly rather than yearly or biannual updates on its Work Plan. Anesthesia and pain groups should become familiar with the new format on OIG's website and subscribe to the agency's Work Plan updates to stay informed. The 2017 Work Plan includes two anesthesia-related items: non-covere...

Healthcare has been the talking point for generations, but its presence has been even more pronounced since President Obama's election in 2008. Such discussions have revolved around passing comprehensive healthcare reform, passing the Affordable Care Act (ACA or "Obamacare"), repealing the ACA and replacing it with the American Health Care Act of 2...

SUMMARY Comprehensive laws restricting balance billing have been passed in several states, and many more states have introduced legislation. In general, anesthesia groups have adapted by aligning with their facilities' contracting strategies and in-network profiles; however, strategies for anesthesia practices remain diverse and market-specifi...

Robert Johnson, MBAPrincipal, Enhance Healthcare Consulting, Aventura, FLRobert Stiefel, MDCo-Founder and Principal, Enhance Healthcare Consulting, Aventura, FLAs a national anesthesia consulting firm, we are seeing hospitals and healthcare systems change or attempt to change their incumbent anesthesia groups with increasing frequency. A recent sur...