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    • CMS Belatedly Issues Sunshine Rule; HP&M Promptly Issues SummaryFebruary 6th, 2013

      By Alan M. Kirschenbaum & Jennifer D. Newberger – Sixteen months past its statutory deadline, CMS issued last Friday a pre-publication version of its final regulation implementing the physician payment transparency provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  The rule is scheduled for publication in …

    • Massachusetts Issues Final Rule on Drug and Device Manufacturer Marketing ConductNovember 27th, 2012

      By Bill Koustas & Alan Kirschenbaum – In July, we reported that Massachusetts had amended its prescription drug and device marketing law to (among other things) allow pharmaceutical and medical device companies to provide “modest meals and refreshments” as part of an informational presentation to …

    • Massachusetts Relaxes Laws on the Offering of Prescription Drug Coupons and Meals to Health Care PractitionersJuly 16th, 2012

      By Nisha P. Shah – On July 8, 2012, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed H. 4200, which, in part, relaxes: (1) the state anti-kickback law to permit the offering of coupons for prescription drug and biological products, and (2) the marketing laws to allow prescription drug …

    • CMS Delays Sunshine Act Data Collection Until January 2013May 4th, 2012

      By Alan M. Kirschenbaum – On May 3, 2012, CMS posted on its website a notice announcing that manufacturers will not be required to collect data under the physician payment sunshine provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act before January 1, 2013.  As we have …

    • CMS Publishes Proposed Rewrite of Medicaid Drug Rebate Program Regulation; HP&M Issues SummaryFebruary 5th, 2012

      By Alan M. Kirschenbaum & Michelle L. Butler -  A long anticipated proposed revision to CMS regulations governing the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program ("MDRP") appeared in the Federal Register on Thursday, February 2, 2012.  As expected, the proposal implements amendments to the MDRP that were enacted …

    • OIG Issues Advisory Opinion on Manufacturer-Subsidized Patient Reminder ProgramJune 13th, 2011

      By Peter M. Jaensch & Alan M. Kirschenbaum – The Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) of the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a favorable Advisory Opinion on a manufacturer-sponsored patient reminder program for a vaccine, concluding that OIG will not seek penalties under …

    • Notorious Affiliate Exclusion Provision of PPACA RepealedDecember 21st, 2010

      By Alan M. Kirschenbaum – Exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid is a potent weapon used by the government against program-related fraud, but it can be a double edged sword when wielded against drug and medical device companies.  Exclusion of a drug or device company means that …