Craig Smith, Hogan Lovells US LLP To Speak at Fraud Prevention in Medicaid,Medicare and CHIP Webcast

July 1, 2011 - PRLog -- The Knowledge Group/The Knowledge Congress Live Webcast Series, the leading producer of regulatory focused webcasts, has announced that Craig Smith, Partner/Board Certified - Health Law, Hogan Lovells US LLP will speak at the Knowledge Congress’ webcast entitled: “Understanding the New System: Final Rule on Fraud Prevention in Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP Live Webcast.” This event is scheduled on October 3, 2011 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM ET. (For more details, please visit: http://www.knowledgecongress.org/event_2011_Fraud_Prevention.html)

Event Synopsis

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule effective March 25, 2011, which enacts a number of program integrity provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). These provisions aim to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

The rule focuses primarily on the new and technically complicated enrollment processes for health care providers and suppliers and CMS’s expanded authority to impose payment suspensions.

Health care providers and suppliers will need to work closely with their compliance officers and corporate counsel to ensure that an effective process is in place.

The Knowledge Group is assembling a panel of key thought leaders and experts to give insights of the most important issues. This 2-hour webcast will discuss the following key provisions:

- New Medicare provider and supplier screening procedures
- Screening methods performed under the Medicare program
- Who is affected?
- Application fees on Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP
- CMS amendment to 42 C.F.R. §§ 405.370 through 405.372
- Withholding payments
- Future of payment suspensions and compliance plans
- Other Provisions

About Craig Smith

Craig Smith rejoined Hogan Lovells in 2008 after serving as General Counsel for Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration. Craig is Board Certified in Health Law by the Florida Bar, and he represents health care industry clients on a wide range of regulatory, transactional, and litigation matters.

As General Counsel of the Florida’s Health Care Administration agency, which has a budget of over $17 billion and regulates more than 32,000 health care facilities, Craig supervised over 40 in-house lawyers in four different offices across Florida and was a member of the agency's Senior Management Team. Craig oversaw significant class action and other complex litigation against the agency at the trial court and appellate court levels, and he addressed many critical health care issues, including statewide Medicaid-managed care reform and the appropriate expansion of electronic health information.

While serving as the chief legal officer of one of the nation's largest Medicaid programs, Craig coordinated frequently with federal officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Justice. He was a member of the South Florida Health Care Fraud Task Force, and he represented the agency in its recovery of Medicaid overpayments, including one of the largest Medicaid overpayment recoveries in history. Craig also worked closely with Governor Crist's administration on legislative initiatives and to create innovative health care programs such as Cover Florida and Florida's Prescription Drug Discount Card Program.

Craig originally joined Hogan Lovells in 2001 and became a partner in 2005. While at Hogan Lovells, Craig has represented health care clients in a wide range of matters, including class action litigation, internal compliance investigations, and in corporate transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures.

Craig is a frequent speaker at national health law conferences, and he also served in a special temporary role as in-house counsel for one of Florida's leading health care systems.

About Hogan Lovells US LLP

Hogan Lovells is a top 10 global legal services provider offering a depth of experience and a broad practice scope through its 2,500+ lawyers in more than 40 offices in 20 countries around the world.

For more information about Craig Smith and Hogan Lovells US LLP, please visit: www.hoganlovells.com

To register in this event, please click on this link or copy paste in your browser:
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About The Knowledge Group, LLC/The Knowledge Congress Live Webcast Series

The Knowledge Congress was established with the mission to produce unbiased, objective, and educational live webinars that examine industry trends and regulatory changes from a variety of different perspectives. The goal is to deliver a unique multilevel analysis of an important issue affecting business in a highly focused format. To contact or register to an event, please visit: www.knowledgecongress.org.