Pharos Capital Group has announced its post-acute care provider platform, Charter Health Care Group, has acquired The Providence Hospice and The Providence Home Health Services, together referred to as Providence Home Health and Hospice.

Providence Home Health and Hospice, based in Sugar Land, Texas, is a provider of in-home hospice, palliative care, skilled nursing,

As previously discussed, on April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a process for inquiries to be submitted to OIG about whether administrative enforcement discretion would be provided for certain arrangements directly connected to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). OIG established this process to provide regulatory flexibility to ensure necessary care responding to COVID-19, particularly with respect to the federal anti-kickback statute (AKS) and civil monetary penalty (CMP) beneficiary inducement prohibition provisions. OIG responses are publicly available through a frequently asked questions (FAQ) posting on the OIG COVID-19 portal. OIG has continued to update this FAQ since its initial publication, including the most recent inquiry discussed in our March 22 post, and also providing guidance on the following question:
Can a federally qualified health center (FQHC) with a location in a rural area provide free space to a retail pharmacy that administers COVID-19 vaccinations to FQHC patients and the general public (including Federal health care program beneficiaries)?

KKR has announced it has agreed to acquire a majority interest in Therapy Brands.

Therapy Brands, headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., is a practice management and electronic health record software platform for mental, behavioral, substance use recovery, applied behavior analysis and physical rehabilitation healthcare providers. Founded in 2013, the company supports more than 28,000 practices across

In U.S. ex rel. Manieri v. Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2021 WL 857102 (N.D. Oh. Mar. 8, 2021), the Northern District of Ohio dismissed a relator’s claim that he had been improperly retaliated because he had raised concerns about alleged fraudulent conduct involving speaker fees under the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS).  Manieri serves as a helpful reminder of the high standard for pleading a retaliation claim under the FCA.

RiverGlade Capital has acquired H.H. Franchising Systems from Linsalata Capital Partners, according to a news release.

H.H. Franchising, based in Cincinnati-based, operates Home Helpers Home Care. Home Helpers is a provider of in-home care to seniors and others. It has independently owned and operated offices in more than 1,000 U.S. communities.

RiverGlade Capital

Almost exactly a year ago, the first COVID-19 tuition reimbursement lawsuits were filed against higher education institutions across the United States and we warned of the continued onslaught of such litigation.  With the filing of those reimbursement class actions decreasing, higher education institutions should be cognizant of a potential new wave of COVID-19 class actions: privacy class action lawsuits related to the COVID-19 vaccine.

H.I.G. Capital has announced it has completed a growth investment in Concord USA.

Concord, based in Minneapolis, provides technology consulting and digital services to customers in healthcare and a few other sectors. Founded in 2003, the company offers a suite of solutions within cloud applications and integration, data and analytics, information security, digital and user

Peters v. Gallun, et al. was filed in the Central District of California on February 18, 2021, claiming civil damages for violations of securities law, breach of contract, and conversion.

Plaintiff is an individual working as a movie producer in California (“Peters”).  The defendants are an individual acting as a business manager and equine sales agent (“Gallun”) and Gallun’s limited liability company.

On April 2, 2021, Pamela S. Karlan, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (DOJ), issued a public statement regarding the Division’s intent to lead a coordinated civil rights response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The statement, which attached a resource guide, is intended to assist Federal agencies, state and local governments, and recipients of Federal funds, including healthcare providers, in addressing ongoing civil rights challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement advised healthcare providers and long-term care facilities (LTCs), among other entities, that the DOJ intends to “vigorously enforce Federal civil rights,” and that civil rights obligations still apply during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement addressed the need to combat disability discrimination by ensuring that all people with disabilities have equal access to healthcare. The statement cited to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the need for healthcare providers to comply with these laws “when making decisions about who will receive medical care, including vaccines and hospital beds.” Furthermore, the statement discussed that providers must comply with disability laws when “crafting and implementing policies such as crisis standards of care, visitation rules, and vaccine distribution plans.”