Health care transparency—Actions needed to improve cost and quality information for consumersDecember 2014A major trend in the evolving health care world is greater participation by consumers in choosing where and from whom they get their care. To do so, consumers must have more access to quality and cost information in order to make informed decisions. A recent Government Accountability Office report, "Health Care Transparency—Actions Needed To Improve Cost and Quality Information for Consumers," looks at the need for “transparency” in this context.
Illinois Insurance Claims Fraud Prevention Act: What whistleblowers and providers should knowBy R. Scott OswaldSeptember 2014Readers are likely familiar with the federal Medicare and Medicaid Anti-Kickback Statute as well as with the False Claims Act. However, they may be less familiar with the Illinois Claims Fraud Prevention Act which includes provisions similar to those found in the federal laws, but applicable to private insurers. This article provides a primer on the Illinois Act with illustrative cases.
The Supreme Court’s impending decision in the contraceptive mandate cases: Will it go the way of the Seventh Circuit?By Valerie J. MunsonJune 2014The Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate, and its application to secular corporations with strong religious orientations, has been the subject of multiple and conflicting decisions from the lower federal courts. On March 24, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in two cases in which secular corporations have sought exemption from the contraceptive mandate on free exercise grounds. This article examines the arguments advanced before the Court and suggests how the cases may be resolved.