Laws in Healthcare
Federal agencies are increasingly becoming active in investigating violations of healthcare laws. In addition, private lawsuits are surfacing from violations of healthcare laws. Find a recent case where there has been a violation of a healthcare law, such as a case involving any of the following:
Fraud
Privacy
Security
Then, discuss your responses to the following questions:
What tort or criminal law was violated?
Who was the investigating agency?
Were there civil or criminal penalties? What were the penalties?
In your opinion, was this a fair penalty for the violation that occurred?
Sample Answer
Case: U.S. v. John Thropay MD
Facts: In February 2024, John Thropay MD of Arcadia, California, was found guilty of impermissibly using patients’ Protected Health Information (PHI) to fraudulently bill Medicare for hospice services.
Legal Violations:
- Tort or Criminal Law Violated: Dr. Thropay violated several laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) by misusing patients’ PHI and Medicare fraud statutes.
- Investigating Agency: The case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).