As the Nebraska Attorney General takes to Capitol Hill to testify to the deleterious practices of patent trolls on Nebraska banks and businesses, many institutions are still grappling with exactly what a “patent troll” is, how they operate and why they are allowed to do what they do. Patent […]
Publications
Remember to Register Meteorological Evaluation Towers
Nebraska law requires owners and lessors of certain meteorological evaluation towers (“MET”) to register their towers with the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics. Section 66-1901 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes states the requirements for MET registration, and provides that “[a]ll wind measurement equipment associated with the development or study of wind-powered […]
OIG Advisory Opinion Provides Additional Guidance on Supplier’s/Provider’s “Usual” Charges
Much confusion surrounds the issue of whether or not a Medicare supplier or provider may charge individuals or payors other than Federal health care programs less than its usual charges. A recent OIG Advisory Opinion (AO 13-13) addresses free services offered to uninsured patients. Section 1128(b)(6)(A) of the Social […]
Update: EHR Donation Sunset Extended
At long last, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved final rules extending the sunset on the Stark exception and an Anti-Kickback safe harbor. As addressed previously in this Health Law Advisory article, both the exception and the safe harbor were scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2013. This […]
FDIC Guidance: Preparing for Rising Interest Rates
With rising interest rates looming somewhere on the horizon, the FDIC has re-emphasized the importance of appropriate interest-rate risk oversight and risk management processes to ensure that banks are positioned to avoid or mitigate risks inherently associated with rising rates.1 FDIC Concerns The FDIC is concerned that certain institutions […]