Suzanne York

The Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (“CHQPR”) has issued an alarming report finding that more than 600 rural hospitals – nearly 30% of the country’s total – are at risk of closing in the near future. Of these, over 200 are at risk of immediate closure. This continues a trend that began before […]

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has proposed a rule that would, in its words, “categorically” ban non-compete clauses in labor contracts. Non-compete clauses are terms in labor agreements that prevent a worker from accepting employment with a competitor or starting a competing business after leaving an employer, generally for a certain period of time and

Non-compete clauses are increasingly common in healthcare provider contracts.  Non-compete clauses present numerous legal issues, including their scope and enforceability as both the federal and state governments enact laws and policies governing their use. The attorneys at Whatley Kallas, LLP are keeping up-to-date with this changing legal landscape.  Whatley Kallas Of Counsel Deborah Winegard recently

Humana, Inc. and Cigna Corporation both reported strong third quarter 2022 profits due to lower than expected payments to medical providers. Humana reported third quarter 2022 profits of $1.2 billion, beating analysts’ expectations. Humana also reported strong third quarter 2022 revenues of $22.8 billion, up by 10.2% from the third quarter of 2021. In announcing

Whatley Kallas is investigating practices by Bayer, the manufacturer of Advantix- and Advantage-branded flea medications for pets, that have allowed Bayer to maintain a monopoly position over the market for veterinary topical flea medications. These practices, and Bayer’s resulting monopoly power, have caused consumers to pay at least tens of millions of dollars more for

Elevance Health (formerly known as Anthem) reported strong profits of $1.6 billion for the third quarter of 2022, an increase of 7.2% over the prior year quarter. Elevance Health’s operating revenues were also sharply up, growing 11.5% over the prior year quarter to $39.9 billion. Both Elevance Health’s third quarter profits and revenues beat analysts’

In an article headlined “How Insurance Firms Exploited Medicare Advantage for Billions,” the New York Times has exposed how Medicare Advantage plans make their patients appear sicker than they are in order to significantly increase their profits. The Medicare Advantage plans accomplish this by scouring patient medical records for additional diagnoses that they then report

Judge Contreras of the federal District Court for the District of Columbia has vacated the Department of Health and Human Service’s rule cutting Medicare reimbursement to 340B hospitals for outpatient drugs for 2022.  This means that 340B hospitals will be paid at the default Medicare rate of Average Sales Price plus 6% for these drugs

Jerome A. (Buddy) Cooper received a well-deserved recognition of being admitted to the Alabama Lawyers Hall of Fame.  After serving as Justice Black’s first law clerk, Buddy was one of the founding partners of Cooper, Mitch & Black, which was the law firm where Joe Whatley began his law practice.  Buddy was a great lawyer