On December 28, 2015, by way of Notice 2016-4, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") extended the due dates for 2015 information reporting pursuant to the Affordable Care Act ("ACA"). Noting that some insurers and employers need...
PLDO Law Blog
Firm News
Employer Reporting Deadlines under the ACA Are Fast Approaching
If you employed 50 or more full-time employees (including full-time equivalent employees) in 2015, you are an "Applicable Large Employer" or "ALE" in accordance with the Affordable Care Act's ("ACA") Employer Shared Responsibility provisions under Section 4980H of the...
Protected Health Information and HIPAA – What You Need to Know Before You Respond to a Request or Subpoena
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") Privacy Rule generally prohibits covered entities and their business associates from disclosing protected health information ("PHI") unless there is a valid written authorization or a specific exception...
Providers Must Ensure CMS is Aware of Changes to Practice Location
An administrative law judge ("ALJ") recently upheld the revocation of a Medicare Home Health Agency's ("HHA") billing privileges, based on the fact that the HHA did not properly notify CMS of a practice location change. 42 C.F.R. Section 424.516(e), requires certain...
Employee’s “Odd” Behavior Justified Mandatory Drug Test
Most employers know that they cannot insist that an employee take a drug test unless the employer has “reasonable grounds” to believe that an employee’s job performance is impaired by drug use. Also, the employer must observe contemporaneous evidence of impairment...
Influencer Marketing Expansion Attracts Federal Regulators
The “influencer” marketing industry, which is predicted to become a $15 billion industry by 2022, is rapidly expanding, and with COVID-19 ramping up e-commerce, brands are increasingly turning to this marketing strategy. Influencers are people with varying amounts of...
How Will COVID-19 Tracking Apps Affect Privacy?
America is grappling with a compelling question during the coronavirus pandemic: should we allow Big Tech and the government to use our smartphones to track our movements, body temperature, and activities to slow the infection rate? As explained by the wonderful...
Navigating Mortgage Relief Options Under The CARES Act
Homeowners challenged to stay current with their mortgage payments due to the COVID-19 crisis are finding relief in several federal emergency measures provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act. Two provisions include a 60-day...
Remote Notarization Has Arrived in Rhode Island (Temporarily)
On Friday, April 3, 2020, Rhode Island Secretary of State issued revised Standards of Conduct for Notary Publics in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, adding Section 8, which authorizes Remote Online Notarization (RON) of legal documents during the...
