text:
Casting/Ideas
Stage Rental
Music + Sound
Music Supervision and Licensing
Services/Tools
The Housley Life
Premieres July 24 on YouTube
Watch it now
Current Casting Calls
Sorry, we're not casting right now, but we will be soon. Check back for updates.
Hollywood Colorist Chris Hall Joins Trailblazer Studios
HOLLYWOOD COLORIST CHRIS HALL LANDS ON THE EAST COAST, JOINING TRAILBLAZER STUDIOS
North Carolina Continues to Draw National Film Industry Talent
RALEIGH, N.C. (Nov. 10, 2015) – Award-winning Los Angeles colorist Chris Hall brings his color grading and online editorial skills to the East Coast, finding a new home at Trailblazer Studios.
Previously a finishing colorist at Bandito Brothers in Culver City and at Prehistoric Digital in Santa Monica, Hall worked on feature films including the 2012 Navy Seal action film "Act of Valor" and the documentary "Rich Hill," a 2014 Sundance Grand Jury prize winner. He has also colored a plethora of TV shows, commercials and music videos. His impressive client list boasts names like Jaguar, Kellogg's, Mattel and Lexus, as well as networks including Hallmark and Lifetime. His color work has made celebrities like Courtney Cox, Keith Urban and Frankie Ballard shine.
Hall has clearly made a name for himself in the world's top entertainment market, but for him and his family, making the leap from Hollywood to Raleigh was a no-brainer.
"It had always been my dream to work in a smaller metro area away from the 'crunch' and congestion of Hollywood, but still be able to work on larger projects for film and television with a national audience," said Hall. "Much to my amazement I discovered that Trailblazer Studios is exactly that – a thriving company with top-notch equipment and facilities, an amazing roster of clients and high-quality projects, and extremely talented people who care about the projects passionately and personally."
Hall said he jumped at the opportunity and has never looked back.
"There's an atmosphere of professionalism here that coexists with a strong sense of balance between work and one's personal life," he said. "That's so refreshing to see in an entertainment production company working on a national scale."
"We're thrilled to have Chris on board," said Scott Roy, Trailblazer Studios' vice president of Post Production. "When it comes to bringing a storyteller's vision to life on screen, Chris is one of the best we've seen. Adding his talent to our current list of top notch colorist will allow us to continue to raise the bar on the work we're doing internally and externally."
Since joining Trailblazer Studios, Hall has colored shows for DIY ("Salvage Dawgs"), PBS ("A Chef's Life"), and TLC ("Sister Wives"), as well as TV commercials and branding pieces for regional advertising agencies.
Hall earned his Master's of Fine Arts in Cinema and Television Production at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Theater at North Park University in Chicago. View Hall's demo reel here.
About Trailblazer Studios
Trailblazer Studios is an award-winning production, post and sound facility based in Raleigh, N.C., with two of the area's largest sound stages. Since 2001, the company has created meaningful, compelling and entertaining content for TV, film and advertising. Trailblazer Studios has more than 850 TV episodes under its belt for networks like HGTV, Discovery, TLC, DIY and PBS, as well as numerous commercials and webisodes for companies including Sony, ESPN, PEP Boys, Food Lion, Home Depot and Travelocity. www.TrailblazerStudios.com
Lori McDaniel, 919.280.6146
lori@group3online.com


text:
Haraka v2 is a secure and efficient short-input (256 or 512 bits) hash function, designed
to be very fast on modern platforms which support AES-NI. One of the main applications
for such a design is the use in hash-based signature schemes like XMSS and SPHINCS.
For more information see our [paper](https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/098).

This repository provides various implementations in [code/](https://github.com/kste/haraka/tree/master/code).
In [code/c/aesni_optimized](https://github.com/kste/haraka/tree/master/code/c/aesni_optimized), one can find
an implementation processing 4 or 8 blocks in parallel.

## Performance

The performance is measured in cycles per byte (cpb) processed. The following numbers
correspond to Intel Skylake using the [optimized implementation](https://github.com/kste/haraka/tree/master/code/c/aesni_optimized).

Variant | 1x | 4x | 8x
------- | ------- | ------- | -------
Haraka256 | 0.72 cpb | 0.63 cpb  | 0.63 cpb
Haraka512 | 1.02 cpb  | 0.72 cpb  | 0.72 cpb

## SPHINCS
[SPHINCS](https://sphincs.cr.yp.to/) is a post-quantum secure hash-based digital signature scheme. The performance
of SPHINCS strongly correlates with the performance of the underlying hash function and can be significantly
improved by using an optimized construction.

A SPHINCS implementation instantiated with Haraka can be found in [supercop/crypto_sign/](https://github.com/kste/haraka/tree/master/supercop/crypto_sign/sphincs256haraka/aesni), which can also be used for benchmarks with
[Supercop](https://bench.cr.yp.to/supercop.html).

This optimized implementation has the following perfomance figures on Intel Skylake:

Operation | Cycles
------------ | -------------
KeyGeneration | 1.340.338
Signing | 20.782.894
Verify | 415.586

## Reference

Haraka v2 - Efficient Short-Input Hashing for Post-Quantum Applications

Stefan Kölbl and Martin M. Lauridsen and Florian Mendel and Christian Rechberger
https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/098

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Escape to River Cottage was the first River Cottage television series in which celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall takes over a Dorset cottage and sets out to achieve a form of rural self-sufficiency.

Show summary

Along the way, Fearnley-Whittingstall encounters many challenges largely caused by the weather and pests. Every week, Fearnley-Whittingstall meets up with different members of the Dorset community and gets a different kind of livestock (e.g., fish, pork) from each of them, usually free or bartered. Local organic vegetable guru Michael Michaud, homecraft expert Barbara and experienced vegetable competitor Roy Gunning all make appearances as the series provides insight into country life.

List of episodes

References

External links

Channel 4 original programming
1999 British television series debuts
1999 British television series endings

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Calman Trust
The Calman vision
The Calman team
Prepare for independent living
First steps towards employment
Develop employability skills
Modern Apprenticeship
Full-time & Part-time jobs
Our enterprises
Cafe Artysans
Cafe Artysans Inverness
Cafe Artysans at The Muir Hub
Catering by Artysans
Ness Soaps
The word 'Calman' means dove in Gaelic, and reflects the organisation's aspiration to enable young people to settle in a place they can call home, participating in their community, achieving their best.
Calman Trust was formed in 1998 as a response of local people to the challenges faced by young people aged 16-25 in Highland who experience difficulties when they leave the family home, including homelessness when they run out of options.
Difficulties at this important stage can damage the young person's chances long into the future, and seeing the negative impact on young people of debt, homelessness, isolation or breakdown at school, work, or home, our commitment is to enable young people to learn to manage what happens and avoid total breakdown. A continuing feature of all our work is therefore to offer solutions as early as possible, so that the young person can become an independent young adult, able to manage their challenges, and knowing where to go if they need help.
Since 2010 we have operated the Café Artysans social enterprise, and added the Ness Soaps Social Enterprise in 2014. In these Enterprises, young people can experience the world of work for themselves and develop the skills that employers are looking for. Moreover, every penny made is re-invested in our work with young people.
Published: 16th February, 2018
New Fun and Friends
Hear what some young people, involved with Calman services, have to say about their experience.
Calman Trust, Invergordon
Calman Trust, Inverness
Calman Trust was formed in 1998 as a response of local people to the challenges faced by young people aged 16-25 in Highland who experience difficulties when they leave the family home.
We offer a combination of support to deal with life's challenges and learning opportunities focused on enabling young people aged 14-25 to prepare for the world of work and independent living.
Help clean up cyclone damage in Brisbane
The cyclone hit at 10am this morning. Tens of thousands of dollars damage is already caused, and people are being evacuated and will return to damaged homes.
By working at the Cafe, young people learn to provide a customer experience or be part of the busy kitchen team.
By working at Ness Soaps, young people get to experience a product being manufactured and then taken to market.
We do not currently have any vacancies.
Calman Trust operate two Social Enterprises in the Highlands, Ness Soaps and Artysans. By working in our Enterprises, young people learn the skills they need to take the next step in the world of work and every penny made is invested back into Calman Trust.
Calman offers Modern Apprenticeships in 'Catering & Hospitality' in Cafe Artysans, learning and gaining work experience in a real business.
Replace this with your content
The cyclone hit at 10am this morning. Tens of thousands of dollars damage is already caused, and people are being evacuated and will return to damaged homes. Read more
Published: 19th March, 2014
Updated: 26th February, 2018
Calman Trust is a Registered Charity in Scotland (SC027878).
Registered Office: 7 Strothers Lane, Inverness, United Kingdom IV1 1LR

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Technology predictions for the year ahead
Tech TrendsTop Stories
Rebecca Miles | 20 December, 2022
Small and medium-sized enterprises may not have the budgets to invest in all of the latest technology advances, but they still need to keep up with an increasingly digital landscape. SMEs need to choose carefully when spending their money on the latest technology – three experts below give their views on what they believe will be the emerging tech trends.
Deryck Mitchelson, Field CISO, EMEA at Check Point Software Technologies:
Small and medium-sized enterprises have had to adapt rapidly to an increasingly digital landscape, relying more heavily on technology to conduct their day-to-day operations than ever before. This has opened them up to new cybersecurity threats that disproportionately impact smaller organisations. In fact, according to Check Point Research, an organisation in the UK is being attacked on average 775 times per week in the last six months. As we look towards a new year, we are already seeing some emerging tech trends that we expect will impact how SMEs combat this worrying threat.
Shortage of skills:
Every industry and every company is experiencing a cyberskills shortage. This is a trend we expect to see continue into the new year and is something that will impact how SMEs tackle some of the key cybersecurity challenges that lie ahead. Specifically, it is likely that a dedicated security team will no longer be a feasible option, leaving companies without adequate protection from growing cybersecurity threats. As a result, we expect to see a greater adoption of outsourced services as businesses begin to lean on the expertise of managed security service providers. This trend is further supported by the recent changes to Network and Information Systems (NIS) regulations, which will bring MSPs within the scope to keep digital supply chains secure.
Cloud adoption halted
While 2022 has seen the rapid adoption of cloud technology, I suspect that this will begin to plateau and even decline due to the rise in cost and complexity. Many firms will consider bringing workloads back in-house or to private data centres to reduce their overall threat surface. This is because there is a significant operational and technical overhead required to maintain a growing cloud estate, whereas on-prem services can be much simpler to manage. As a result, this could see SMEs taking a few step backs in their Digital Transformation journey that was accelerated because of the pandemic.
Focus on prevention in 2023
Next year will undoubtedly bring with it an array of challenges for SMEs when it comes to cybersecurity, but businesses should be comforted by the fact that by taking a preventative approach, it is possible to prepare and secure their networks from new and emerging threats.
Nicky Tozer, Senior Vice President of EMEA, NetSuite:
The last few years have taught us that 'uncertainty' has become a consistent business backdrop, and 2022 was no different – to the extent that 'permacrisis' has been declared the UK's word of the year. These years have demonstrated the need to stay flexible and adapt to any scenario, however severe, and this need for agility looks set to be a key theme in 2023.
As uncertainty continues into 2023, businesses should focus on making their digital infrastructure more robust to protect against risk. For instance, when considering their supply chain, businesses have been forced to react quickly to continual product shortages, delivery strikes and port delays, that show no signs of slowing down. This is just one example where businesses have had to make rapid moves to stay afloat, moving from just-in-time towards a 'more stock, less deliveries' model, trying to balance out associated costs of storage and management.
In 2023, automation will also be a vital investment for finance teams, not only to do more with less people, but to give professionals more time for value-add projects. Centralising data and automating financial processes mitigates risk, makes data more accurate, and allows finance teams to focus on analysis and respond to market changes.
Paul Baird, UK Chief Technology Security Officer, Qualys:
While the region's security professionals played the usual parallel game of catch-up to the threat actors' rapid evolution, changes to their own IT environments have tied Security Operations Centres' hands more than usual. They no longer protect simple, on premises environments. The cloud, third-party services, shadow IT and more plague cybersecurity professionals to an alarming degree.
And now, it's time to see what happens next. Here are three predictions for 2023 that every CISO should digest.
More accountability for CISOs
CISOs' repeated calls for more investment in security will finally be heard and the role will be granted more autonomy, but at a price. Organisations will expect their security leaders to justify expenditure, action, strategy, policy, KPIs and more.
Machine Learning will combat alert fatigue and SOC burnout
Threat actors automate and have become more effective because of it, but the security professionals tasked with stopping them are complaining that they do not have the tools to do so. Basic endpoint detection and response (EDR) is insufficient to dial down the noise and allow SecOps teams to zero in on genuine threats and boost morale. Advanced Machine Learning-powered analytics is the answer, and in 2023 it will play a bigger role as highly regulated industries try to address their cybersecurity talent shortages.
More focus on supply chain risks
This year, CISOs must look to the SBOM (software bill of materials) to understand all the elements of the technology stack and their dependencies. Some of these will be deployed and maintained by third parties and can be weak points even for organisations with robust security postures. The supply chain must now be seen as integral to cybersecurity strategy, and if necessary, enterprises must support their suppliers in reaching higher levels of maturity. The SBOM will be an indispensable tool in understanding the chain, the gaps that must be plugged and who must plug them.
The year of living securely
Let 2023 be the year we take the lessons learned during the pandemic years and put them to use. We know how sophisticated attackers have become and we know the ways they can be slowed and beaten. All that remains is the will and resources to act. Adapting is the only way to best the attacker, and with the right strategies, skillsets, regulation and commitment, we can do better and ensure we all have a happier new year than the cybergangs.


Today was my last full day in Colorado. I was supposed to be working, but Andy convinced me to go on a lunch outing, so we headed to William's Creek. It was a damp day and a little hazy, but I got some beautiful photos of the scenery and Andy fishing. I read my book, snapped photos, and had a nice relaxing afternoon. Well, these things always drag out longer than they should and several hours had gone by, then a couple more, and finally I had to insist that I get back and do some work.
Since it was dusk, and I was shooting out of a car, and the bear was always on the move, not all that many photos came out crisp, but they still win out over the fishing photos (sorry Andy). Here's one of my favorites. It was a pretty good adventure for our last day!


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Home/Tag: Medicare fraud
Walgreens Agrees to Pay $269 Million to Settle Two FCA Suits
On January 22, 2019, Walgreens agreed to pay more than $269 million to settle allegations of False Claims Act (FCA) violations for overbilling of various drugs. The deals are some of the largest pay-outs ever by a retail pharmacy, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).
The Two Settlements.
There were two separate complaints involving Walgreens to settle federal and state lawsuits that accused the pharmacy of overbilling federal healthcare programs. Both were unsealed by U.S. District Court judges in Manhattan, according to the DOJ.
In the first settlement, Walgreens agreed to pay $209.2 million to the U.S. and several state governments for improperly billing Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs. The pharmacy is accused of excessive dispensing of insulin pens to beneficiaries who didn't need them, according to U.S. officials. It reaped improper payments by understating the amount of treatment days covered by supplies of insulin pens. That allowed it to bill for prescriptions that should have been denied as premature, the DOJ said. Click here to visit our website and read the complaint and the stipulation for the first settlement.
In the second settlement, Walgreens agreed to pay $60 million to settle claims of overbilling Medicaid programs through bogus Medicaid price reporting. The retail pharmacy never disclosed or charged the lower drug prices it offered the public through a pharmacy discount program.
According to the DOJ, Walgreens obtained inflated reimbursement amounts because it failed to disclose discounted drug prices in its "Prescription Savings Club." However, federal prosecutors said Walgreens didn't disclose the discounted drug price when filing for reimbursement from Medicaid. Click here to visit our website and read the complaint and stipulation for the second settlement.
There are two whistleblowers in the insulin pen case, they will receive a roughly 19 percent cut of the $41 million portion of the settlement that will go to state, a reward of close to $8 million for blowing the whistle. The whistleblower in the Medicaid price reporting case, will receive a $11.4 million reward, according to his attorney. Not bad for a days work!
Walgreens released a statement, saying it was glad to have the matters resolved but admitted to no wrongdoing.
This isn't the first time Walgreens has been involved in an FCA lawsuit. Click here to read one of my prior blogs on a similar case.
Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Qui Tam or Whistleblower Cases.
Attorneys with The Health Law Firm represent physicians, nurses and other health professionals who desire to file a False Claims Act (whistle blower or qui tam) case. This case just shows that even physicians can and should bring such claims and be rewarded for their whistle blowing activities. However, the attorneys of The Health Law Firm also defend physicians, medical groups and health facilities who have been sued in False Claims Act (whistle blower or qui tam) cases or have had administrative or civil complaints filed against them to recover civil monetary penalties. We have developed relationships with recognized experts in health care accounting, health care financing, utilization review, medical review, filling, coding, and other services that assist us in such matters. We have represented doctors, nurses and others as relators in bringing qui tam or whistle blower cases, as well.
To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
Overley, Jeff. "Walgreens Pays $269M In Milestone FCA Deals." Law360. (January 22, 2019). Web.
Thomas, Patrick. "Walgreens to Pay $269 Million on Claims It Overcharged Federal Programs." WSJ. (January 22, 2019). Web.
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By The Health Law Firm|2019-01-29T20:53:27-05:00January 29th, 2019|Categories: Pharmacy Law Blog|Tags: Board of Pharmacy defense lawyer, Board of Pharmacy representation, False Claims Act (FCA), FCA attorney, FCA defense lawyer, FCA representation, health care clinic fraud audit, health law defense attorney, healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud defense lawyer, healthcare fraud representation, legal representation for allegation of defrauding the government, legal representation for allegations of Medicare fraud, legal representation for false billing, legal representation for fraudulent billing, legal representation for health care fraud, legal representation for Medicaid audit, legal representation for Medicare and Medicaid investigations, legal representation for Medicare audits, Legal representation for Medicare fraud, legal representation for OIG investigations, legal representation for pharmacies, legal representation for pharmacists, legal representation for submitting false claims, legal representation fr Medicaid fraud, Medicaid audit defense attorney, Medicaid fraud defense attorney, Medicare and Medicaid investigation defense attorney, Medicare audit defense attorney, Medicare billing defense attorney, Medicare fraud, Medicare fraud defense attorney, OIG investigation defense attorney, pharmacists defense attorney, pharmacy defense lawyer, pharmacy representation, qui tam defense attorney, qui tam lawyer, qui tam representation, reviews of The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, whistleblower defense attorney, whistleblower representation|0 Comments
DOJ Announces $2.8 Billion Recovered Funds From Healthcare Cases in 2018
On December 21, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it recovered more than $2.8 billion from False Claims Act (FCA) (also known as "qui tam" or "whistleblower cases") cases in 2018. Of the $2.8 billion in settlements and judgments that the government obtained during the year through FCA cases, more than $2.5 billion involved health care fraud. These cases included drug and medical device manufacturers, managed care providers, hospitals, pharmacies, hospice organizations, laboratories, and physicians.
Health Care Fraud.
The DOJ's largest recoveries involving the health care industry in 2018 came from the drug and medical device industry. In one example, AmerisourceBergen Corporation paid a whopping $625 million to settle charges filed under the whistleblower provisions of the FCA. The charges alleged that it illegally distributed misbranded drugs for cancer patients. Of that amount, $581.8 million was paid to the federal government and $43.2 million was paid to state Medicaid programs. Click here to read more on that.
Whistleblower Complaints.
Of the $2.8 billion recovered in 2018, more than $2.1 billion arose from lawsuits filed under the qui tam provisions of the FCA. The government paid out $301 million to the whistleblowers who exposed fraud and false claims by filing these actions. There was a total of 645 qui tam suits filed in 2018. Click here to see the DOJ's 2018 statistics. To view the DOJ's press release on fraud for the fiscal year 2018, click here.
Health Care Fraud is a Serious Matter.
We have been consulted by many individuals, both before and after criminal convictions for health care fraud or related offenses. In many cases, those subject to Medicare fraud audits and false claims investigations refuse to acknowledge the seriousness of the matter. Some may even decide not to spend the money required for a highly experienced health attorney to defend them.
Click here to read one of my previous blog posts regarding health care fraud.
The government is serious about combating health care fraud. It created a Medicare Fraud Strike Force in March 2007, in an effort to further prevent and eliminate fraud and abuse of government health care programs. False claims are a growing problem in the program, costing the government billions of dollars each year. Accordingly, punishments for defrauding the system can be quite severe.
If you are accused of health care fraud, realize that you are in a fight for your life. Your liberty, property/possessions and profession are all at stake. Often it is possible to settle allegations of fraud by agreeing to pay civil monetary penalties and fines. If given such an opportunity, the Medicare provider should consider whether it is worth the risk of facing decades in prison. Be prepared to give up whatever you need to in order to avoid a conviction and preserve your liberty.
Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Health Care Fraud and Qui Tam or Whistleblower Cases.
The Health Law Firm's attorneys routinely represent physicians, dentists, orthodontists, medical groups, clinics, pharmacies, assisted living facilities (AFLs), home health care agencies, nursing homes, group homes and other healthcare providers in Medicaid and Medicare investigations, audits and recovery actions.
Attorneys with The Health Law Firm also represent health care professionals and others who may desire to file a qui tam, False Claims Act or whistleblower suit. We work with physicians, nurses and other professionals to investigate, document and file such cases. We have developed relationships with recognized experts in health care accounting, health care financing, utilization review, medical review, filling, coding and other services that assist us in such matters. We have represented number of doctors and other licensed health professionals as relators in bringing qui tam or whistleblower cases. Our attorneys are also available to defend physicians, medical groups and health care providers in qui tam or whistleblower cases.
To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
Bantz, Phillip. "US Justice Department Recovered $2.8 Billion From False Claims Act Cases in 2018." Law.com. (December 28, 2018). Web.
"Health Care Dominates FCA Judgments and Settlements in 2018." The National Law Review. (December 31, 2018). Web.
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By The Health Law Firm|2019-01-17T01:11:46-05:00January 28th, 2019|Categories: Health Facilities Law Blog|Tags: False Claims Act (FCA), FCA attorney, FCA defense lawyer, FCA representation, health care clinic fraud audit, health law defense attorney, healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud defense lawyer, healthcare fraud representation, legal representation for allegation of defrauding the government, legal representation for allegations of Medicare fraud, legal representation for false billing, legal representation for fraudulent billing, legal representation for health care fraud, legal representation for Medicaid audit, legal representation for Medicare and Medicaid investigations, legal representation for Medicare audits, Legal representation for Medicare fraud, legal representation for OIG investigations, legal representation for submitting false claims, legal representation fr Medicaid fraud, Medicaid audit defense attorney, Medicaid fraud defense attorney, Medicare and Medicaid investigation defense attorney, Medicare audit defense attorney, Medicare billing defense attorney, Medicare fraud, Medicare fraud defense attorney, OIG investigation defense attorney, qui tam defense attorney, qui tam lawyer, qui tam representation, reviews of The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, whistleblower defense attorney, whistleblower representation|0 Comments
DOJ Announces $2.8 Billion Recovered From Healthcare FCA Cases in 2018
By The Health Law Firm|2019-01-14T18:09:35-05:00January 14th, 2019|Categories: Pharmacy Law Blog|Tags: False Claims Act (FCA), FCA attorney, FCA defense lawyer, FCA representation, health care clinic fraud audit, health law defense attorney, healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud defense lawyer, healthcare fraud representation, legal representation for allegation of defrauding the government, legal representation for allegations of Medicare fraud, legal representation for false billing, legal representation for fraudulent billing, legal representation for health care fraud, legal representation for Medicaid audit, legal representation for Medicare and Medicaid investigations, legal representation for Medicare audits, Legal representation for Medicare fraud, legal representation for OIG investigations, legal representation for submitting false claims, legal representation fr Medicaid fraud, Medicaid audit defense attorney, Medicaid fraud defense attorney, Medicare and Medicaid investigation defense attorney, Medicare audit defense attorney, Medicare billing defense attorney, Medicare fraud, Medicare fraud defense attorney, OIG investigation defense attorney, qui tam defense attorney, qui tam lawyer, qui tam representation, reviews of The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, whistleblower defense attorney, whistleblower representation|0 Comments
Helpful Tips to Speed Up the Medicare Prepayment Review Process
For Medicare providers, being notified of an impending audit is not welcome news. Being notified of a prepayment review is even worse. In a prepayment review, the health care provider must submit documentation to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contractor before ever receiving payment. The health care provider will only receive payment (typically months later) if the contractor is satisfied with the provider's documentation. This can be financially disastrous for the health care provider, who still must pay day-to-day expenses while waiting for a decision.
CMS Contractors.
If you have received notice of prepayment review, you first need to determine the contractor that has initiated the review. CMS contracts with four types of contractors:
– Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs);
– Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) contractors;
– Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs); and
– Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPICs).
Both the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPICs) can initiate prepayment reviews.
MAC Prepayment Reviews.
MACs will initiate prepayment reviews of health care providers suspected of improper billing for services. If the MAC detects anything resembling fraud during the process, the prepayment review can extend for up to a year or more. However, MACs will generally terminate the prepayment review when the health care provider demonstrates a pattern of correct billing. Health care providers who are notified of a MAC prepayment review should consult with an experienced health care attorney from the beginning of the process. An experienced health attorney will be able to assist the health care provider to ensure everything is in place for a speedy prepayment review.
ZPIC Prepayment Reviews.
A MAC may refer a health care provider to a ZPIC for a benefit integrity prepayment review if they suspect fraud. A ZPIC can also initiate a benefit integrity prepayment review based on data analysis. Unlike MACs, ZPICs generally are less willing to communicate with health care providers about the prepayment review.
Additionally, there are different time limitations for a benefit integrity prepayment review. The MAC prepayment review is governed by Medicare Manual provisions that stipulate a maximum length of time on a prepayment review. However, a benefit integrity prepayment review can last indefinitely, if the basis for the review is not timely and properly addressed by the health care provider.
Further, ZPICs make fraud referrals to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Thus, health care providers should view ZPIC correspondence as the start of a potentially larger investigation. An experienced health care attorney should be contacted immediately after a health care provider receives any contact from ZPIC.
How to Accomplish a Speedy Review.
In many cases, the health care provider will be on Medicare prepayment review until its billing accuracy reaches a certain percentage. However there are other steps to help speed up the Medicare prepayment audit process.
1. Read all Correspondence from the Contractor Carefully.
Pay close attention to all correspondence sent by the contractor. Make a note of the due date given and make sure your response is sent well within the time limits. Denials will usually occur if a response is not received by the given deadline. Also be sure that you send your response to the correct office.
2. Be Familiar with Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs).
You should read and be familiar with any and all applicable local coverage determinations (LCDs) and national coverage determinations (NCDs) for any codes, services, supplies or equipment you are billing.
3. Contact an Experienced Health Care Attorney Immediately.
A health care attorney who is experienced in prepayment reviews will be able to help you file a proper response in a timely fashion. An attorney will also be able to help find out additional information on why you have been placed on prepayment review and exactly what documentation the auditor is looking for. Alternatively, a health care consultant who has actual experience in working on Medicare cases and who has been an expert witness in Medicare hearings may be able to assist, as well.
4. Contact the Contractor Responsible for the Review.
After you have consulted with an attorney, schedule a call with the contractor responsible for your prepayment review. During the call learn as many details about the audit as you can and find out what the reviewer wants in the documentation.
However, do not:
a. Argue with the auditor.
b. Berate or demean the auditor.
c. Challenge the auditor's knowledge, competence or credentials.
d. Ask the auditor to prove anything to you.
e. Demand to speak to the auditor's supervisor.
5. Do Not File Duplicate Claims.
Keep track of all requests for additional documentation and when they were received. Do not think that you need to file another claim for the same items just because you have not received a response as quickly as other claims where additional documentation was not requested. If you provide duplicate claims, the contractor's decision can be delayed.
6. Organize all Submissions and Results.
You must keep track of the date you receive the document request for a claim, the date you submitted the documentation for review, the result of the audit and the date the result was received. This will help you realize how quickly claims are reviewed. If a one claim's review has taken longer than the others you've submitted, you can contact the reviewer to make sure they have received the claim and everything is in order.
7. Follow-up with the Contractor for Feedback.
Keep in contact with the contractor throughout the review. This will help to maintain the relationship you initiated after first receiving notice of the prepayment review. This will also help you keep track of any issues and resolve them. Be sure to discuss how you can improve your claim submissions to meet the standards of your particular reviewer.
Don't Wait Until It's Too Late; Consult with a Health Law Attorney Experienced in Medicare and Medicaid Issues Now.
The attorneys of The Health Law Firm represent health care providers in prepayment reviews. They also represent physicians, medical groups, nursing homes, home health agencies, pharmacies, hospitals and other healthcare providers and institutions in Medicare and Medicaid investigations, audits, recovery actions and termination from the Medicare or Medicaid Program.
For more information please visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com or call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001.
Baird, Jeff. "Q&A with Jeff Baird: How to Prepare for and Survive Prepayment Reviews." Home Care. (Sept. 13, 2010). From http://homecaremag.com/news/prepayment-review-faq-20100913/
Greene, Stephanie Morgan. "5 Steps to Get Off Pre-Payment Audit – Quickly!" Harrington Managment Group. (Mar. 18, 2011). From
http://homecaremag.com/news/prepayment-review-faq-20100913/
Tag Words: prepayment audit, prepayment review, Medicare audits, Medicare, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, RAC, Recovery Audit Contractor, ZPIC, Zone Program Integrity Contractor, MAC, Medicare Administrative Contractor, CERT contractor, Comprehensive Error Rate Testing contractor, overpayment, prepayment reviews, First Coast Service Options, Medicare contractor, Medicare fraud, Medicare investigation, Medicare overbilling, OIG
By The Health Law Firm|2018-08-29T18:50:11-04:00August 29th, 2018|Categories: The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CERT contractor, CMS, Comprehensive Error Rate Testing contractor, First Coast Service Options, mac, medicare, Medicare Administrative Contractor, Medicare audits, Medicare contractor, Medicare fraud, Medicare investigation, Medicare overbilling, OIG, overpayment, prepayment audit, prepayment review, prepayment reviews, RAC, Recovery Audit Contractor, Zone Program Integrity Contractor, zpic|0 Comments
August 27, 2012, Marks the Start Date of the CMS Recovery Audit Prepayment Review (RAPR)
On July 31, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on its website that hospitals should brace themselves for prepayment audits beginning August 27, 2012.
The CMS originally announced the Recovery Audit Prepayment Review (RAPR) Demonstration Project in November of 2011 for a January 1, 2012 start date, then delayed it to June 1, 2012, then again to, "summer of 2012."
To see the official announcement from the CMS, click here.
Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) will Review Claims with High Rates of Improper Billing.
The Recovery Audit Prepayment Review allows Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs), (commonly known to attorneys representing provers as "bounty hunters") to review claims before they are paid to ensure that the provider has complied with all Medicare payment rules. RACs will conduct prepayment reviews on certain types of claims that have been found to result in high rates of improper payments. The goal is to cut improper payments before they even happen.
The Initial Launch of Recovery Audit Prepayment Reviews will Center Around Seven States.
The Recovery Audit Prepayment Reviews will focus on seven states with high volumes of fraud and error-prone providers. These states are: California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, and Texas. The Recovery Audit Prepayment Reviews will also include four states with a high volume of claim with short inpatient hospital stays. These states are Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Here are the RACs for those states from the CMS:
HealthDataInsights serves California and Missouri
7501 Trinity Peak Street, Suite 120
Connolly Inc. serves Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and North Carolina
One Crescent Drive, Suite 300-A
CGI Federal Inc. serves Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio
1001 Lakeside Ave., Suite 800
(877) 316-RACB
Diversified Collection Services serves New York and Pennsylvania
2819 Southwest Blvd
To see the name of the RAC for your state, click here.
More States May Look to Be Included in the Recovery Audit Prepayment Review Demonstration Project.
CMS is expecting that the prepayment reviews will help lower error rates by preventing improper payments instead of searching for improper payments after they occur. If these reviews are successful, other states will be included in subsequent roll-outs of the Recovery Audit Prepayment Review Demonstration.
Goals for the Recovery Audit Prepayment Review Demonstration.
In 2012, President Obama set three goals for cutting improper payments this year: curbing overall payment errors by $50 billion, cutting Medicare error rate in half and recovering $2 billion in improper payments, according to CMS. The prepayment review program is intended to help achieve those goals. It will also play a big part in preventing fraud, waste and abuse.
The demonstration project will last for three years.
Click here to learn more on the Recover Audit Prepayment Review Demostration.
My Concerns with Widespread Prepayment Reviews.
Our concerns with the widespread use of prepayment reviews are many. Prepayment reviews, especially when used where there is no indication of any fraud or a high error rate, can slow down a health provider's cash flow to the point that it is put out of business. This is especially true for those that are predominately reimbursed by Medicare. The small business provider is at a greater risk.
In addition, the increase in professional time, salaries, copy costs, handling costs and postage greatly increase the administrative burden and the cost of doing business. To date, we have not seen or heard of any proposal by CMS to reimburse the provider for this additional unnecessary and unplanned expense.
Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced in Handling Medicaid and Medicare Audits.
The Health Law Firm's attorneys routinely represent physicians, medical groups, clinics, pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, home health agencies, nursing homes and other healthcare providers in Medicaid and Medicare investigations, audits and recovery actions.
To contact The Health Law Firm please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
Cheung, Karen. "Prepayment Audits Start Aug. 27." Fierce Healthcare. (July 31, 2012). From: http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/prepayment-audits-start-aug-27/2012-07-31
CMS.gov. "Recovery Audit Prepayment Review." CMS.gov. (July 31, 2012). From: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Monitoring-Programs/CERT/Demonstrations.html
By The Health Law Firm|2012-08-07T20:45:17-04:00June 1st, 2018|Categories: In the Know, In the News, Medicaid, Medicaid audit, Medicare, Medicare Audit, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: administrative burden, audit defense attorney, bounty hunters, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, false billing, health care fraud, increased prover expenses, legal defense lawyer, medicare, medicare audit, Medicare fraud, Medicare fraud attorney, Medicare investigation, overbilling, overpayment, prepayment audit, prepayment review, RAC, RAPR, Recovery Audit Contractor, Recovery Audit Prepayment Review|0 Comments
South Florida Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to $23 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
A co-owner and operator of three Miami-area pharmacies pleaded guilty on December 6, 2012, for his part in a $23 million health care fraud scheme. The pharmacy owner allegedly admitted in the Florida Southern Federal District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay illegal health care kickbacks, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.
Click here to read the entire press release from the DOJ.
Pharmacy Owner Used Kickbacks and Referrals to Allegedly Scam Medicare and Medicaid.
According to court documents, the pharmacy owner allegedly admitted to paying illegal kickbacks to an unnamed number of co-conspirators in return for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiary information. That information was then used to submit fraudulent claims. A majority of the beneficiaries referred to the owner's pharmacies reportedly resided at assisted living facilities (ALFs) in Miami.
The court documents state that the pharmacy owner also allegedly paid kickbacks to physicians in exchange for prescription referrals which were also billed to Medicare.
Unused and Partially Used Medicine Part of Scheme.
As part of the scheme, the pharmacy owner allegedly instructed drivers working for his pharmacies to pick up unused medications from ALFs around Miami. The medications were then allegedly placed back into pill bottles. Unused and partially used medications were billed back to Medicare and Medicaid, according to court documents.
Click here to read the court documents on this case.
The pharmacy owner and his co-conspirators allegedly submitted more than $23 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Florida Medicaid programs.
The attorneys of The Health Law Firm represent healthcare providers in Medicare audits, ZPIC audits and RAC audits throughout Florida and across the U.S. They also represent physicians, medical groups, nursing homes, home health agencies, pharmacies, hospitals and other healthcare providers and institutions in Medicare and Medicaid investigations, audits, recovery actions and termination from the Medicare or Medicaid Program.
What do you think of this case? Is the Miami area just a hotbed for Medicare and Medicaid schemes? Please leave any thoughtful comment below.
United States of America v. Jose Carlos Morales. Case Number 12-23374, Preliminary Injunction and Supporting Memorandum of Law. (September 14, 2012). From: http://www.thehealthlawfirm.com/uploads/USA%20v%20Morales.pdf
Department of Justice. "Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in $23 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme." Department of Justice . (December 6, 2012). From: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/December/12-crm-1461.html
By The Health Law Firm|2012-12-13T14:21:38-05:00June 1st, 2018|Categories: Assisted Living Facilities, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Fraud, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs), defense attorney, defense lawyer, Department of Justice (DOJ), Florida health care attorney, Florida health care lawyer, health care fraud, health care fraud scheme, kickbacks, medicaid, Medicaid fraud, Medicaid investigation, medicare, Medicare fraud, Medicare investigation, pharmacy, prescriptions referrals|1 Comment
Fifty-Five Hospitals Around the Country to Pay the Government $34 Million Settlement for False Claims Allegations
Fifty-five (55) hospitals in twenty-one (21) states have agreed to pay the Department of Justice (DOJ) more than $34 million to settle allegations of Medicare fraud in a whistleblower case, according to the DOJ on July 2, 2013. The false claims allegations involve a back procedure called a kyphoplasty. The kyphoplasty can be performed safely and effectively as an outpatient procedure. However, it is alleged that hospitals were using more expensive, inpatient procedures to increase Medicare billings.
To read the press release from the DOJ, click here.
A kyphoplasty is used to treat spinal fractures usually caused by osteoporosis.
Fourteen (14) Florida Hospitals to Pay $11 Million to Government.
According to an article on Health News Florida, fourteen (14) Florida hospitals have agreed to pay around $11 million to settle the DOJ's false claims charges.
One of the Florida hospitals was Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, which will pay $1.84 million. A number of HCA hospitals in Florida were included in the settlement. These hospitals will pay $7.14 million collectively. Another group that settled was the hospitals in the Morton Plant Mease group, which is part of the Baycare Health System in Tampa Bay. This settlement was listed at $2.37 million.
To see all of the Florida hospitals allegedly involved, click here to read the Health News Florida article.
Whistleblower Lawsuit Filed by Two Former Employees.
According to the DOJ, all but four of the settling facilities were named as defendants in a whistleblower lawsuit brought under the False Claims Act. The lawsuits were filed by a former reimbursement manager for Kyphon and a former regional sales manager for Kyphon. The DOJ stated that Kyphon is the company that allegedly advised hospitals to do kyphoplasty procedures as inpatient instead of outpatient procedures. These two will receive a total of about $5.5 million from the settlements.
If you want to know more about whistleblower/qui tam lawsuits, click here to read the first part of a two-part blog, and click here for the second part.
Previous Settlements from Kyphoplasty Procedures.
A similar settlement was reached in 2012, when 14 hospitals agreed to pay a settlement of more than $12 million to the government for allegedly inflating their profits based on unnecessary hospital admissions, according to the Washington Post. Click here to read that article.
The DOJ stated that it has now reached settlements with more than 100 hospitals, for a total of about $75 million resolving allegations that the facilities fraudulently billed Medicare for kyphoplasty procedures.
The Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) is on Fire.
These settlements are a part of the government's fight against health care fraud and another win for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT). HEAT's mission is to focus its efforts on preventing and deterring fraud and to enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. It was created in 2009, by the Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) and the DOJ. To date, the DOJ's total recoveries in False Claims Act cases since January 2009, are more than $14.7 billion. To learn more about HEAT, click here.
Attorneys with The Health Law Firm also represent health care professionals and health facilities in qui tam or whistleblower cases. We have developed relationships with recognized experts in health care accounting, health care financing, utilization review, medical review, filling, coding, and other services that assist us in such matters.
What do you think of these settlements? Please leave any thoughtful comments below.
Department of Justice. "Fifty-Five Hospitals to Pay U.S. More Than $34 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to Kyphoplasty." Department of Justice. (July 2, 2013). From: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/July/13-civ-745.html
Associated Press. "Justice Department, 55 Hospitals Reach $34 Million Settlement Over Medicare Fraud Claims." Washington Post. (July 2, 2013). From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/justice-department-55-hospitals-reach-34-million-settlement-over-medicare-fraud-claims/2013/07/02/3d3d2356-e34e-11e2-bffd-37a36ddab820_story.html
Health News Florida Staff. "14 FL Hospitals to Pay $11 Million." Health News Florida. (July 2, 2013). From: http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/14-fl-hospitals-pay-11-million
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board
Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.
By The Health Law Firm|2013-07-03T18:50:00-04:00June 1st, 2018|Categories: In the News, Medicare, Medicare Fraud, The Health Law Firm Blog, Whistleblower|Tags: defense attorney, defense lawyer, Department of Justice (DOJ), doctor, false billing, false claims, false claims act, florida attorney, Florida lawyer, health care fraud, health care fraud attorney, health care fraud lawyer, Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), hospital, inpatient procedure, kyphoplasty, kyphoplasty procedure, medicare, Medicare billing, Medicare false claims, Medicare fraud, outpatient procedure, physician, qui tam, qui tam attorney, qui tam lawsuit, qui tam lawyer, the health law firm, unnecessary hospital admissions, whistleblower, whistleblower attorney, whistleblower lawsuit, whistleblower lawyer|0 Comments
The RACs, They're Back! The Return of Medicare Recovery Audits
All good things must come to an end. This includes the two-month hiatus from Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) that healthcare professionals enjoyed. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is restarting audits of Medicare fee-for-service claims on a limited basis. The program has been suspended since June 1, 2014, due to expired contracts.
CMS announced the return of RACs on August 4, 2014.
Click here to read the latest announcements on Medicare recovery audits from CMS.
From what we have heard, there were serious problems with some of the audits that had been conducted by the RACs and CMS desired to start over with a clean slate. Just saying!
What Does Limited Basis Mean?
According to CMS, current RACs will conduct a limited number of automated reviews and a small number of complex reviews on certain claims including, but not limited to:
– Spinal fusions;
– Outpatient therapy services;
– Durable medical equipment;
– Prosthetics;
– Orthotics; and
– Supplies and cosmetic procedures.
RACs will not conduct any inpatient hospital patient status reviews for now. In the past, short inpatient stays accounted for 91 percent of the money the program recovered for Medicare.
Controversial Program.
According to an article on HealthData Management, in February 2014, members of congress argued that parts of the RAC program are unfair and violate the way that the Medicare program was intended to operate by raising out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries. To address this concern, CMS established a provider relations coordinator to increase program transparency. This was announced in June 2014, so it is too soon to determine if this position will help providers affected by the medical review process. Click here to read more from HealthData Management.
Healthcare providers have complained that they are fed up with Medicare recovery audits tying up crucial funds and physician time in endless appeals. Currently, appeals can take up to five years. There is also a two-year moratorium in place preventing new appeals from being filed. You may remember my previous blog on the enormous backlog of Medicare recovery audit appeals. Click here to read that post.
What Exactly is a RAC?
RACs are often referred to as "bounty hunters." They are private companies contracted by CMS, used to identify Medicare overpayments and underpayments, and return Medicare overpayments to the Medicare Trust Fund. Since the program began in 2009, it has brought in more than $8 billion in allegedly fraudulent, wasteful and abusive payments to healthcare providers.
How to Prepare for a Medicare Recovery Audit.
There is no such thing as a routine Medicare audit. The fact is that there is some item you have claimed as a Medicare provider or the amount of claims Medicare has paid in a certain category that has caused you or your practice to be audited.
I previously wrote a blog highlighting some of the actions we recommend you take in responding to a Medicare audit. The most important step you should take is to consult an experienced health law attorney early in the audit process to assist in preparing the response. Click here to read more on how to respond to a Medicare audit.
We Told You RACs Would Be Back.
RACs apparently caught $3.7 billion in allegedly wasteful payments that Medicare made to healthcare providers in 2013, and was allegedly on pace to bring back $5 billion this year. That's why the government was eager to get RACs back to work.
It is extremely common for state and federal regulators to enforce even the smallest violations, resulting in investigations, monetary fines and penalties. If found in violation, you will not only have to pay fines and face disciplinary action, you will also lose revenue because you will have to spend time dealing with the investigation, instead of practicing medicine. Whether you are trying to prevent Medicare and Medicaid audits, Zone Program Integrity Contractor (ZPIC) audits, or any other kind of healthcare audits, there are steps you can implement in your practice today that may save you down the line. Click here to read more on self audits.
What do you think about the return of Medicare recovery audits? What are you thoughts on Recovery Audit Contractors? Please leave any thoughtful comments below.
Demko, Paul. "Controversial Medicare Recovery Audits Make Limited Return." Modern Healthcare. (August 5, 2014). From: http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140805/NEWS/308059962/controversial-medicare-recovery-audits-make-limited-return
Goedert, Joseph. "CMS Restarts Parts of the RAC Program." HealthData Management. (August 5,2014). From: http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/CMS-Restarts-Parts-of-the-RAC-Program-48553-1.html
By The Health Law Firm|2014-08-07T09:00:03-04:00June 1st, 2018|Categories: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicare, Medicare Audit, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: administrative law, audit defense attorney, audit defense lawyer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, Connolly Healthcare, false billing, Florida Medicare attorney, Florida Medicare lawyer, health care fraud, health law firm, hhs, how to prepare for a medicare audit, how to prepare for a RAC audit, medicare, medicare audit, Medicare fraud, Medicare fraud attorney, Medicare investigation, Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, OMHA, overbilling, overpayment, prepayment audit, prepayment review, RAC, RAC appeal, RAC appeals backlog, Recovery Audit Contractor, self audit, the health law firm, U.S. Department of Health and Humand Services, what is a RAC, who is the RAC for Florida, who is the RAC for region C|0 Comments
South Florida Man Admits to a $42 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
The owner and operator of a Miami home health care agency pleaded guilty for his part in a $42 million home health Medicare fraud scheme, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The 43 year-old man pleaded guilty before a U.S. district court judge to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud on August 2, 2012.
To see the entire press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ), click here.
First Part of the Fraud Operation Involved Kickbacks and Bribes.
The Miami man was the owner of a Florida home health agency that claimed to provide home health care and physical therapy services to eligible Medicare recipients.
In the first part of the scheme, he allegedly would pay kickbacks and bribes to recruiters. In return, the recruiters would provide patients to the home health care agency. His patients, who received Medicare, were used to bill Medicare for $42 million in unnecessary home health care and therapy services, the government alleged.
The plea documents show that patients' files were falsified to make it appear that these Medicare recipients qualified for the services when many actually did not.
Second Part of the Fraud Operation Included Paying off Doctors.
The second part of this operation involved the owner of the home health agency and his accomplices allegedly paying off doctors. In this exchange, the doctors would allegedly provide the schemers home health and therapy prescriptions, and medical certifications.
The Opertation Busted by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force.
In the end, the crimes resulted in $42 million in false and fraudulent Medicare claims that were filed between January 2006 and November 2009, according to the government. Medicare paid approximately $27 million on those false claims, according to plea documents.
As part of his plea agreement, the home health agency owner has agreed to forfeit two residential properties and cash proceeds of the fraud over to the government.
This case was investigated as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force is a joint effort of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) designed to combat fraud through the use of Medicare data analysis techniques.
To learn more on the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, click here.
Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced in Handling Medicare Audits.
Medicare fraud is a serious crime and is vigorously investigated by the FBI, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Often other state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) and other law enforcement agencies participate. Don't wait until it's too late. If you are concerned of any possible violations and would like a confidential consultation, contact a qualified health attorney familiar with medical billing and audits today.
The Health Law Firm's attorneys routinely represent physicians, medical groups, clinics, pharmacies, home health care agencies, nursing homes, group homes and other healthcare providers in Medicaid and Medicare investigations, audits and recovery actions.
Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. "Miami Home Health Care Agency Owner Pleads Guilty in $42 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme." Department of Justice. Press Release. (August 2, 2012). From: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/August/12-crm-965.html
CBS Miami "Health Care Agency Owner Pleads Guilty In $42M Medicare Scheme." Miami CBS 4 Local. (August 2, 2012). From: http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/08/02/health-care-agency-owner-pleads-guilty-in-42m-medicare-scheme/
By The Health Law Firm|2012-08-09T14:27:03-04:00June 1st, 2018|Categories: In the News, Medicare Audit, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, conspiracy, defense attorney, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Department of Justice, DOJ, false representation, falsified data, falsified reports, FBI, health care fraud defense attorney, home health care agency, investigation, medicare audit, Medicare fraud, Medicare Fraud Strike Force, Office of Inspector General (OIG), unnecessary services|0 Comments
Hospitals Allegedly Enforcing Questionable Practices to Increase Bottom Line
Doctors and hospitals around the country seem to be butting heads. In the past month, an article in The New York Times and a segment on the television "magazine" show 60 Minutes shed light on some questionable practices being enforced by hospitals on physicians working for them.
I previously wrote a blog on this structural shift in the practice of medicine. Click here to read that blog.
The effects of this trend are examined in these two news stories. Doctors and former employees from a number of hospitals around the country were interviewed and all seem to be dealing with the same issues. The biggest concerns addressed were: pressure to order unnecessary tests, admitting patients to fill hospital quotas and drive hospital profits, and the feeling of being controlled by hospital executives and administrators instead of practicing effective medicine.
Doctors Allegedly Pressured to Fill Emergency Room Beds to Increase Profits.
On December 2, 2012, 60 Minutes aired an investigative segment on one of the largest for-profit hospital chains in the country. Former employees and physicians alleged this hospital system thrived by buying urban-area hospitals and turning them into profit centers by filing empty beds from emergency rooms. A former emergency medicine doctor stated that the hospital in which he worked required an admission rate of twenty percent (20%) for patients seen in the ER and fifty percent (50%) for patients who were 65 years old and older (most of whom are Medicare patients) seen in the ER.
A former hospital system employee interviewed by 60 Minutes claimed he was in charge of auditing the hospital chain in question. He stated that he was convinced that doctors were under an extraordinary amount of pressure to fill hospital beds. He stated that he personally audited hospitals in Texas, Florida and Oklahoma, and concluded there were hundreds of thousands of dollars submitted to Medicare and Medicaid for hospital stays that did not meet standards for reimbursement, including medical necessity.
Doctors interviewed for The New York Times article had similar stories. They stated in interviews that hospital administrators created quotas for how many patients should be admitted, because more admissions allegedly meant more money. Doctors who met or exceeded quotas were rewarded with increased compensation, while doctors who did not felt in danger of losing their jobs.
Click here to read the entire New York times article.
Consequences of Ordering Unnecessary Tests.
The New York Times article looked at a number of lawsuits filed by former employees who allege the hospitals they worked for compensated doctors for ordering more tests than necessary.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently settled with a hospital group in Joplin, Missouri. According to the DOJ press release, the hospital system had to pay more than $9.3 million for rewarding doctors partly based on how many tests they ordered. This is in direct violation of the Stark Law and the False Claims Act.
I recently wrote an article for Medical Economics on the legal ramifications of ordering unnecessary tests. To read that article, click here.
If you want to know more on the Stark Law, click here.
Doctors Feel Controlled By Hospital Executives.
Doctors also stated they felt controlled by hospital executives. This was due, in part, to a corporate wide computer software system that was customized to automatically order an extensive battery of tests, some unnecessary, as soon as a patient walked into the hospital. It's also stated that the software would prompt a physician to reconsider when he or she decided to send an emergency room patient home.
Most doctors interviewed were upset that the program also generated reports that evaluated each doctor's performance and productivity.
To watch the segment from 60 Minutes, click here.
Hospitals Say They are Embracing the New Model of Health Care.
The hospital system in question by 60 Minutes maintains that these allegations are not correct. The executive vice president said that as a whole admission rates haven't changed in four years and are near or below industry averages. The hospital systems believe that by consolidating they are embracing the new model of health care and state patient care comes first.
At the Health Law Firm we provide legal services for all health care providers and professionals. This includes physicians, nurses, dentists, psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health counselors, Durable Medical Equipment suppliers, medical students and interns, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, pain management clinics, nursing homes, and any other health care provider. We represent facilities, individuals, groups and institutions in contracts, sales, mergers and acquisitions.
The services we provide include reviewing and negotiating contracts, business transactions, professional license defense, representation in investigations, credential defense, representation in peer review and clinical privileges hearings, Medicare and Medicaid audits, commercial litigation, and administrative hearings.
Do you think there are constant battles between doctors and hospitals? As a health professional, have you experienced the pressure to admit patients, order unnecessary tests or refer a patient inside your network? Please leave any thoughtful comments below.
Creswell, Julie and Abelson, Reed. "A Hospital War Reflects a Bind of Doctors in the U.S." The New York Times. (November 30, 2012). From: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/business/a-hospital-war-reflects-a-tightening-bind-for-doctors-nationwide.html?pagewanted=all
Kroft, Steve. "Hospitals: The Cost of Admission." 60 Minutes. (December 2, 2012). From: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50136261n
Department of Justice. "Missouri Hospital System Agrees to Pay $9.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act and Stark Law Violations." DOJ. (November 5, 2012). From: http://www.justice.gov/printf/PrintOut3.jsp
By The Health Law Firm|2012-12-17T16:09:44-05:00June 1st, 2018|Categories: Health Care Industry, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: business transactions, closing attorney, contract attorney, contract lawyer, Department of Justice (DOJ), false claims act, Florida health care attorney, Florida health care lawyer, hospital acquisitions, Medicaid fraud, medical groups, Medicare fraud, merger legal counsel, overbilling, physician contract attorney, physician contract lawyer, private practice mergers, qui tam, reviewing and negotiating contracts, sale of practice, stark law, unnecessary tests, whistleblower|0 Comments


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These frijoles (also know as refried beans) are a great little dish as either a Mexican side or for some serious snacking, whether you're in front of a film or enjoying board games.
There's no reason why you can't play with the toppings either. All you need to complete the picture are some tortilla chips or raw vegetables for dipping.
Try putting these frijoles in a chicken burrito or serve them in a pulled pork burrito bowl.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes, or until softened. You're not trying to brown it, just sweat it down.
Add the garlic and chipotle paste and cook for another few minutes.
Empty the beans and a little of their liquid into the pan. Season well with salt and pepper.
Add everything to a food processor and blend until smooth. Empty into a bowl.
Fry the chorizo in a hot frying pan until crispy. (You won't need any oil for this as it'll release plenty of its own fat). Once crispy, chop into smaller chunks.
Drizzle over the sour cream, sprinkle over the chorizo and coriander. Serve with tortilla chips or vegetable sticks.


This quick TED talk entry is courtesy of TED.com. After 15 years in the British diplomatic corps, Carne Ross became a "freelance diplomat," running a bold nonprofit that gives small, developing and yet-unrecognized nations a voice in international relations. At the BIF-5 conference, he calls for a new kind of diplomacy that gives voice to small countries, that works with changing boundaries and that welcomes innovation.


Deliciously thick and refreshing soup made with sweet potato, carrot, coconut and a little chilli to temper all that natural sweetness. A Dairy-free recipe.
Moist, chewy macaroons with a sweet coconut flavour. This Gluten-free and Paleo recipe is made with desiccated coconut, coconut milk, egg whites and honey.
Super easy energy balls for a tasty snack on-the-go. This Dairy-free, Gluten-free and Paleo recipe is made with cashew nuts, medjool dates and cacao powder.
Airy muffins, flavoured with grated carrot, spices, pecans and coconut. This Dairy-free, Gluten-free and Paleo recipe is made with cashew butter and honey.


Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, former head of the Swedish aid agency and now chair of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, was in Washington this week unveiling the DAC peer review of U.S. assistance.
The DAC, the club of major bilateral donor countries, undertakes an exhaustive review of each member's development program once every five years. This new review of U.S. assistance is generally commendatory, identifies advancements since the last review in 2011, and points to areas for further improvement.
The report tees off with a nod to U.S. global leadership, specifically its enhancement through key initiatives (health, food security climate, energy, illicit financial flows), the elevation of development as a pillar of U.S. foreign policy, a strengthened U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the establishment of development policy guidelines and initiatives across the government. Further, it highlights the constructive role of the President Obama's reinforcement of development as a core pillar of American power through the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development (PPD-6), and the comprehensive assessment of how the Department of State and the USAID can become more effective and accountable through the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Reviews (QDDR).
The review commends the U.S. for a more strategic approach to development, as by setting government-wide priorities through PPD-6 and USAID's return to writing strategies for its development activities in each of its partner county. Additional examples are the PPD-6 call for greater selectivity and focus, reflected in a 42 percent reduction in the number of country programs, and in the QDDR's identification of areas of U.S. comparative advantage. But it also states, with more than 21 government agencies implementing foreign assistance, there is need for a government-wide, all-inclusive global development strategy as recommended by PPD-6.
It observes that the U.S. has pursued a more strategic use of multilateral organization but lacks a common multilateral engagement strategy. Further, the unmet financial commitments to the multilateral development banks of $1.6 billion erodes U.S. leadership and influence in those institutions.
The report commends the U.S. for bringing greater coherence to its development policies but states that progress has not been made, in contrast to other DAC members, in greater coherence between development and domestic policies. The interagency dialogue that produced the U.S. position on the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals was a rare occasion of joining considerations of domestic, development, and foreign policies.
The report recognizes U.S. outreach and support for civil society. It also notes its engagement in fragile states, with 44 percent of U.S. official development assistance going to countries that are fragile, conflict-affected, or post-crisis.
As to the assessment that "USAID's expanded capabilities are making a positive difference," the report credits this to the restoration of the agency's policy, budget, evaluation, and strategy functions; increased staffing numbers and expertise; a more strategic focus on results and innovation; and the agency's increased presence at meetings of the National Security Council and designation as a leader on important development initiatives and disaster response.
The report views the U.S. as successful in mobilizing the private sector. USAID has created tools to engage the private sector, including extensive use of public-private partnerships and a new Office of Private Capital and Microenterprise. Between 2012 and 2014 the U.S. mobilized $10 billion in private finance through guarantees. Since 2010 the portfolio of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation has grown 47 percent, but it is hamstrung from doing more by insufficient staff, lack of equity authority, and the requirement that a U.S. entity must be involved in a project.
DAC chair Charlotte Petri Gornitzka presenting the U.S. aid review to the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network.
The report presents a brief tally of how the U.S. has responded to the recommendations of the 2011 DAC peer report. The U.S. acted fully or partially on 80 percent of the recommendations and took no action on four.
The DAC report adds a respected international voice to comparable assessments of the substantial progress that has been made in the management of U.S. assistance and where further steps are in order.
With a new administration taking office in a month, the report could not be more timely. It is a useful guide to the strengths and shortcomings of U.S. assistance policies and programs and where improvements can be made.


This is the first of a three-part series exploring how to use Google Maps and other apps on genealogy research trips. Read part two and part three.
Have you ever traveled to an ancestor's grave? Do you know the areas where your ancestors grew up? Do you keep track of all those cities and coordinates in an Excel file or tucked away in a notebook?
One of the free sites he talks about is Google Maps. While you may think the site is just for travelers, we genealogists can also use it for genealogical purposes.
You can track all types of locations in connection with your ancestors.
You can set up a road trip to your next ancestor-related trip.
You can share the map information with your family.
So how do you get started using it?
To begin, you'll need a Google account, meaning a Gmail account or another account that you've created to connect with Google.
Once you've created an account, go to google.com/mymaps, and click Create a New Map in the top left corner.
Click on Untitled map in the top left corner, rename your map, and click Save.
Google offers a way to help you organize your map by adding different layers. If you want to track your ancestor's cemeteries', you can have a layer titled "Cemeteries." If you want to track where your ancestors are from, you can add another layer to your map and title it "Where Our Ancestors Are From." Each layer you add can perform a different function, from tracking locations to getting directions from one point of the map to another. You can also rename layers on the same map, depending on your needs.
After you've named your map, zoom in. (Double-click the map or use the + and — buttons on the bottom to zoom in and out.) You can also search in the search bar at the top for locations.
Notice that the location marker (the bright green balloon) takes you to exactly where you've searched. This does not mean that your location is saved, so you'll want to add your own marker by pressing the location marker button under the search bar.
The camera icon is one option. This allows you to attach an image related to your ancestor at this location.
Click Select a file from your computer, pick the image you want to upload, add a description, and click Save.
If you want to differentiate location markers by type or person, you can click on the paint bucket icon to change the color of the marker. This allows you to track different people and types of locations based on the colors you've attached to the markers.
Another option is to add lines and shapes throughout your area.
Adding lines and shapes can highlight areas for many reasons. Perhaps it shows places you've searched for something like a grave or a homestead or places that you want to focus on searching. You can use the paint bucket to change colors of the different areas, double clicking on the last circle to finalize your shape.
You have the option to click on each marker and read what's been written about them.
Once you have more information about a person, you can add another layer to show where they were buried or where they grew up.
On layers, you have the option again to change the colors using the paint bucket icon so you can keep track of what the different points mean.
From here you can print out your family map and give it to family members as a gift by clicking on the vertical dots in the top right corner of your map chart.
You can print the map with the paper size and orientation you like.
This allows your family to have a visual representation of where your ancestors came from.
Now you get to plan out how to get to some of those sites! Stay tuned for part two: Maps for Genealogists: Tracking Before You Go.
Have you used Google Maps for genealogy? Tweet us your story @RootsTechConf.


Pack your bucket and spade and get ready for some quality beach time at Premier Inn Exmouth Seafront. Exmouth is fab for water sports and its handy location on the South West Coast Path plus its proximity to the Jurassic Coast make our Exmouth hotel the perfect stop-over for outdoorsy types.
At the end of a long day, you can relax in style in one of our new generation bedrooms, featuring an impressive 40" flat screen TV, bright, modern bathroom with a large shower head, and brand new, slumber-inducing, king size Hypnos bed.
There is one meeting room at this location accommodating up to 18 attendees. The meeting room is on the ground floor.
Exit M5 at junction 30 then take A376 to Exeter/Exmouth. At the roundabout take 1st exit onto Sidmouth Rd/A376. Continue to follow A376. Pass through 3 roundabouts then at the next roundabout take 2nd exit to Imperial Road. Go through next roundabout then turn right at the end onto Alexandra Terrace. Then take 1st left onto Morton Rd, then turn left onto Esplanade. Hotel is on the left.
There are 50 parking spaces at this hotel. Parking is free of charge for meeting room attendees.


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HOME Newsroom Shire News Releases Shire And Sangamo Collaborate To Develop Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Hemophilia And Other Monogenic Diseases
Shire And Sangamo Collaborate To Develop Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Hemophilia And Other Monogenic Diseases
Partnership in DNA-binding technology has potential to provide both companies growth through innovation of new therapies for people with serious diseases
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, and Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGMO), a leader in genome-editing technology, announced today that they have entered into a collaboration and license agreement to develop therapeutics for hemophilia and other monogenic diseases based on Sangamo's zinc finger DNA-binding protein (ZFP) technology.
Shire will receive exclusive world-wide rights to ZFP Therapeutics® designed to target four genes (for blood clotting Factors VII, VIII, IX and X) which will be used to investigate curative therapies for hemophilia A and B. Shire also receives the right to designate three additional gene targets. Sangamo is responsible for all activities through submission of Investigational New Drug (IND) Applications and European Clinical Trial Applications (CTA) for each product and Shire will reimburse Sangamo for its internal and external research program-related costs. Shire is responsible for clinical development and commercialization of products arising from the alliance. Shire will pay Sangamo $13 million upfront followed by research, regulatory, development and commercial milestone payments, and royalties on product sales.
"Sangamo's ground-breaking ZFP gene-editing technology will enable us to expand our therapeutic pipeline into therapies for other genetic disorders such as hemophilia," said Sylvie Grégoire, president of Shire's Human Genetic Therapies business. "While still early in the clinical development process, this DNA-binding protein technology is aligned with our focus of developing new treatments that can add value for physicians, patients and their families, and the healthcare community overall."
"We are delighted to be partnering the first of our monogenic disease programs with Shire, a company known for its development of innovative medicines for genetic diseases," said Edward Lanphier, Sangamo's president and chief executive officer. "This alliance is further validation of our ZFP platform as a transformative technology for the development of novel therapeutics, which have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of a wide range of genetic diseases."
Sangamo's ZFP Therapeutic approach utilizes its proprietary ZFP nuclease (ZFN) and ZFP transcription factor (ZFP TF) technology. ZFPs can be engineered to recognize any specific DNA sequence within a gene, and may be applicable to certain Shire therapeutic areas, including hematology and lysosomal storage disorders.
About Hemophilia
Hemophilia, a rare bleeding disorder, is an example of a monogenic disease. There are several types of hemophilia caused by mutations in genes that encode factors which help the blood clot and stop bleeding when blood vessels are injured. The most prevalent form of the disease, hemophilia A, is caused by a defect in clotting Factor VIII while defects in clotting Factor IX lead to hemophilia B. The most severe forms of hemophilia affect males. According to the National Hemophilia Foundation, hemophilia A occurs in about one in every 5,000 male births in the US, and hemophilia B in about 1 in every 25,000. The standard treatment for individuals with hemophilia is replacement of the defective clotting factor with regular infusion of concentrates or recombinant factors, which are expensive, carry the risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases and sometimes stimulate the body to produce antibodies against the factors that inhibit the benefits of treatment. In these situations, other clotting factors such as Factor VII and X may be used to treat patients.
Using a mouse model of hemophilia B, Sangamo scientists and its collaborators have already established proof of concept that ZFN-mediated genome editing can be accomplished in vivo and is curative in the animal. They have demonstrated the production of stable levels of corrected human clotting Factor IX that are clinically meaningful, restoring clotting times to normal, after a single, systemic administration of ZFNs specific for the Factor IX gene. The data were published in the scientific journal Nature in June 2011 (Nature. 2011 Jun 26; 475(7355):217-21. doi: 10.1038/nature10177).
Shire Investor Relations
Eric Rojas erojas@shire.com +1 781 482 0999
Sarah Elton-Farr seltonfarr@shire.com +44 1256 894157
Shire Media Relations
Jessica Mann jmann@shire.com +44 1256 894 280
Gwen Fisher gfisher@shire.com +1 484 595 2147
Jessica Cotrone jcotrone@shire.com +1 781 482 9538
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
Elizabeth Wolffe, Ph.D. ewolffe@sangamo.com 510-970-6000, x271
SHIRE PLC
Shire's strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician. Shire focuses its business on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, human genetic therapies, gastrointestinal diseases and regenerative medicine as well as opportunities in other therapeutic areas to the extent they arise through acquisitions. Shire's in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on products in specialist markets with strong intellectual property protection and global rights. Shire believes that a carefully selected and balanced portfolio of products with strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results.
For further information on Shire, please visit the Company's website: www.shire.com.
SHIRE "SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
Statements included herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such risks or uncertainties materialize, the Company's results could be materially adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: the inherent uncertainty of research, development, approval, reimbursement, manufacturing and commercialization of the Company's Specialty Pharmaceuticals, Human Genetic Therapies and Regenerative Medicine products, as well as the ability to secure new products for commercialization and/or development; government regulation of the Company's products; the Company's ability to manufacture its products in sufficient quantities to meet demand; the impact of competitive therapies on the Company's products; the Company's ability to register, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights relating to its products; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain government and other third-party reimbursement for its products; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. is focused on research and development of novel DNA-binding proteins for therapeutic gene regulation and genome editing. Sangamo has a Phase 2 clinical trial and two Phase 1/2 clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel ZFP Therapeutic® for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Other therapeutic programs are focused on monogenic diseases, including hemophilia and hemoglobinopathies, and Parkinson's disease. Sangamo's core competencies enable the engineering of a class of DNA-binding proteins known as zinc finger DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs). By engineering ZFPs that recognize a specific DNA sequence Sangamo has created sequence-specific ZFP Nucleases (ZFNs) for gene modification and ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TFs) that can control gene expression and, consequently, cell function. Sangamo has established strategic partnerships with companies in non-therapeutic applications of its technology including Dow AgroSciences and Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. For more information about Sangamo, visit the company's website at www.sangamo.com.
ZFP Therapeutic® is a registered trademark of Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on Sangamo's current expectations. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, references to the research and development of novel ZFNs, potential therapeutic applications of the ZFN technology for the treatment of hemophilias and other monogenic diseases and potential milestone payments. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including technological challenges, uncertainties and risks relating to clinical trials, compliance with regulatory and other requirements, the ability of Sangamo and Shire to develop commercially viable products and technological developments by our competitors. See the SEC filings, and in particular, the risk factors described in Shire and Sangamo's Annual Reports on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Shire and Sangamo do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.