Learn about the latest trends and activities through our blog posts.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has announced the creation of new legislation titled the Data Protection Act. According to the Senator’s press release, the bill would create “the Data Protection Agency (DPA), an independent federal agency that would protect Americans’ data, safeguard their privacy, and ensure data practices are fair and transparent.
Read MoreWhat is Medicare for All?
As the Democratic primary heats up, we believe it is fitting to examine one of the most discussed topics of the campaign season: healthcare. Since last year, we have witnessed an increased debate on whether the country should move towards Medicare for All. But what is this program?
Read MoreSurprise medical billing is an issue that has been widespread for a while, but due to social media and more intense scrutiny, we are now seeing the effects of how common this problem is among patients accessing our healthcare system. According to a study by Kaiser “roughly 1 of every 6 emergency room visits and inpatient hospital stays in 2017, patients came home with at least one out-of-network medical bill.” The question is what is surprise medical billing?
Surprise medical bills generally have two components. The first component is the higher amount the patient owes under her health plan, reflecting the difference in cost-sharing levels between in-network and out-of-network services. The second component of surprise medical bills is an additional amount the physician or other provider may bill the patient directly, a practice known as “balance billing.”
Read MoreOn January 30th, the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services held a hearing titled “Is Cash Still King? Reviewing the Rise of Mobile Payments.” The Committee headed by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) held this hearing to determine whether businesses should be allowed or prohibited from refusing cash payments in stores. The policy rationale behind the debate is whether cashless stores would have the unintended consequences of harming marketplace access for low-income Americans who do not have a bank account.
Read MoreLanton Law made a presentation on biosimilars at the New York Bar Association’s 2020 Annual Meeting in NYC.
Read MoreThe Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act enacted in 2008 was an important first step in developing policy on biometrics. According to the law, a private entity possessing biometric information accessible to the public must have a retention schedule and policy for permanently destroying biometric information. Additionally, there are restrictions on how a private entity may collect, capture, purchase, receive through trade, or otherwise obtain a person's or a customer's biometric identifier or biometric information. Most importantly, this law requires obtaining written consent prior to collecting biometric information as the law provides a private right of action for anyone injured under the Act.
Read MoreRecently, we have learned of Amazon’s new hand scanning idea to revolutionize consumer interactions via fintech. The idea would involve creating a payment system that would biometrically scan a user’s hand to transfer payment from the user to Amazon, instead of via a credit card, phone application or cash. New point of sale terminals equipped with this technology would be placed in brick and mortar stores so that customers can “travel lighter” by not having to worry about carrying physical payment forms.
Read MoreCalifornia’s Governor Newsom (D-CA) has made a bold budgetary proposal to become the first state in the Union to manufacture its own generic prescription drug label. The purpose behind this is to make affordable medications accessible to the state’s 40 million residents.
Read MoreAs new political alliances emerge and populism continues to push political parties to make faster adjustments, companies need to take a fresh look at how they engage with the political system in order to convey company priorities and goals. Political trends happen in small doses before they spread quickly, which is what St. Petersburg, Florida and now Seattle, Washington may be demonstrating.
Read MoreWe were quoted in the recent Pharmacy Times article titled “Supreme Court to Rule on States’ Right to Regulate Pharmacy Benefit Managers.”
Read MoreThis year Rhode Island has shown why it is one of the early adopter states of acknowledging and strategizing for a blockchain future.
Read MoreIn 2016, the Athens Orthopedic Clinic in Georgia was hacked by an anonymous hacking group called the “Dark Overlord.” The group’s action caused a major data breach and affected approximately 200,000 patients. The information obtained involved social security numbers, health insurance information, birth dates, and addresses.
Read MoreDuring the 2019 National Association of Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting and Expo, Ron Lanton III, Esq, reviewed the FDA Biosimilars Action Plan, its implications for the biosimilar marketplace, recent legislation set to influence the biosimilar pathway and drug accessibility, and the future of the biosimilar market.
Read MoreIn preparation for 2020, Lanton Law is forecasting that it is more likely than not that some form of federal privacy legislation will become law in 2020. One proposed legislative candidate for privacy in 2020 is the Consumer Online Privacy Rights Act (COPRA).
Read MoreLanton Law gave a December 2019 webinar with the American College of Apothecaries ACA on CBD. Since then we have seen two significant developments.
Read MoreA new pilot program that allows states to import from Canada and allow manufacturers to voluntarily import has been announced via a draft rule through HHS and the FDA. The program would give states and nonfederal government entities the ability to import from Canada by applying to the FDA. Higher priced drugs such as biologics are not included in the draft rule.
Read MoreOne case that pharmacy stakeholders have been closely monitoring is Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.
Read MoreNo matter if you are a hospital, physician, pharmacist, manufacturer, SAAS or Health IT provider, the lifeblood of your business is in your contracts. As an attorney what amazes me time after time is how contracts are often overlooked by businesses.
Read MoreA new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy may help get novel biosimilar insulins to market more quickly, but it will be no guarantee that the products will be significantly less expensive than branded insulins, say analysts.
Read More
