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CLIENT ALERT: Ohio Managed Care Organization (MCO) Open Enrollment

Client Alert

Open Enrollment started April 30, and will continue through May 25, 2018, for your MCO (Managed Care Organization).  Every State Fund Ohio employer can select their MCO for the coming policy year.  The MCO is responsible for helping to manage Ohio Workers’ Compensation claim costs.  All State Fund employers will begin to receive correspondence urging them to select that particular MCO, or urging them not to make a switch.               

 

Legislation introduced in 1993, which eventually became law after amendments, made managed health care a part of the Ohio Workers’ Compensation system.  That system has evolved over the years, and MCOs now make initial decisions involving most medical management issues in state fund claims.  Their importance cannot be overstated, as the medical management often dictates the path a particular claim will take.  It would be a mistake for any State Fund Ohio employer to simply allow the “default” MCO manage their claims.  Instead, they should examine their MCO (every State Funded employer has one – and if the employer has not selected one, then one is selected for that employer at random), and decide whether they want to switch or keep their MCO.

 

The Ohio BWC provides helpful information for those looking for basic information (which can be found at https://www.bwc.ohio.gov/downloads/brochureware/brochures/MCOGuide.pdf).  Of course, anyone who wants to discuss their overall claims situation is free to contact Richard Williger, and I’d be happy to spend some time looking at their overall Experience.


Supreme Court Issues Major False Claims Act Decision

Telehealth Flexibility Updates: HIPAA, DEA, and CMS

The Covid-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) officially ended on May 11, 2023. But what does that mean for telehealth, a field that expanded exponentially during the PHE? Fortunately, many of the flexibilities will remain intact, at least temporarily. This client alert presents a brief overview of the timelines that providers need to follow, but for a more comprehensive review of telehealth flexibilities and when they will end

WEBINAR SERIES RECAP | Ending the Public Health Emergency + Post-Pandemic Check-Up

Some may take the position that the rest of the country already returned to a new “normal” following the COVID-19 pandemic.  But healthcare providers continue to implement COVID protocols and navigate the ever-changing healthcare regulations at both the federal and state levels.  It is important for healthcare providers to take time for a “Healthcare Check-Up” with the start of 2023 and the ending of the Public Health Emergency (“PHE”).

Sharp Rise in False Claims Act Cases - Navigating the FCA Waters

Recently, on April 18, 2023, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the FCA’s scienter, or mental state, requirement. To prove violation of the FCA, the statute requires that a defendant “knowingly” file false claims for payment. The term “knowingly” is defined within the statute to mean a person that acts with actual knowledge, deliberate ignorance, or reckless disregard. Circuit courts are split on how to interpret and apply the knowledge element of the FCA, and based on the Supreme Court’s decision, there will be a large impact on healthcare defendants and their businesses as well as anyone who contracts with, or receives money from, a federal program. A broader interpretation of the FCA would unnecessarily target and stifle healthcare, and other businesses, for simple errors in daily operations. This goes against the intended application of the FCA, which was to prevent fraudulent activity.

Areas of Opportunity in Columbus: Highlights from the Columbus Opportunity Summit

On April 27, 2023 Columbus Business First held its annual Columbus Opportunity Summit, bringing together business and economic development leaders to provide an update on how Central Ohio is preparing for expected growth in the coming years, an issue heightened by the arrival of Intel at its 1,000 acre site in Licking County, just outside of Columbus. The site will be home to two new chip factories with room to grow to a total of eight factories and is a $20 Billion investment.