Foley attorney Heidi Sorensen will be speaking at the 42nd Annual Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Lawyer’s Conference on May 7, 2008 in Glendale, Arizona.
Ms. Sorensen will be speaking with Lisa T. Murphy, Esq., The Regence Group. Their topic is titled “Health Plans Need to Pay Close Attention to the OIG.” While the Health and Human Service’s Office of the Inspector General has until now primarily focused on health care providers (and increasingly of late on pharmaceutical and drug manufacturers), there have been hints that health plans could also be subject to increased scrutiny, particularly with the advent of Medicare Part D and increased OIG resources for Medicaid enforcement as a result of the Deficit Reduction Act.
Specific topics to be covered in this session include: an enforcement update, including the OIG aspects of the False Claims Act litigation in United States ex rel. Tyson v. Amerigroup Illinois, Inc.; practical advice for dealing with an OIG subpoena or investigation; understanding the OIG’s civil monetary penalties law authorities; how what you don’t know about the anti-kickback statute can hurt you; OIG issues for contractors, including Part D Plans; and dealing with excluded persons.