MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'attorney'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:03:31 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130844&cid=t_139580_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fscam-targeted-surrogates-as-well-as.html " Surrogates went to Ukraine to be impregnated with no prospective parents lined up, believing the arrangement was legitimate. The scheme unraveled when one pregnant woman grew increasingly nervous. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-baby-ring-20110814,0,3021399.story?track=rss I wonder how many such scams unfold in India ? This is why it's so important to find a reputable IVF clinic is you want to do surrogacy ! You can read more about how to protect yourself if you need surrogacy treatment ! (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130844 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 07:39:00 +0100 5130844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103336&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-care-attorney-discusses-the-use-of-disclaimers-on-facebook-pages%2F2011.08.06 This is the third part of a three part post addressing the legal concerns of social networking in the health care arena. In part one, legal expert David Harlow, Esq., Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answered questions regarding “The Legal Implications for Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals Engaging in Social Media?” In part two, Mr. Harlow answered questions related to the Pharma industry;  “Legal Concerns: What Steps can Pharma Take to Engage in Social Media?” The third part addresses a question from a follower on Facebook about the use of disclaimers. Q:  Barbara: A Healthin30 reader on Facebook writes:  “I’m looking for a good disclaimer to put on a couple of medical practices’ Facebook pages. The AMA social media guidelines aren’t h... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103336 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:00:47 +0100 5103336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028457&cid=t_139580_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F12%2Fmatthew-israel-founder-of-judge-rotenberg-steps-down-in-disgrace%2F We missed reporting this at the end of May when it happened, but I like to close the loop on stories we’ve discussed in the past, so I thought it relevant to mention here. We’ve previously detailed how the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center in Canton, Mass. has a “treatment” for out-of-control children where electric shocks are given in order to curb their behavior (ala BF Skinner). We’ve also noted the horror of the incident where a former patient was able to make a single phone call and cause the staff to shock two children in its care over 100 times. Now, finally, the founder of the school, Matthew Israel, has agreed to step down from the Center in order to avoid prison time. In an agreement reached with the state’s Attorney General, he will be on pro... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028457 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:50:56 +0100 5028457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008413&cid=t_139580_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpacer.ca4.uscourts.gov%2Fopinion.pdf%2F101592.P.pdf Today the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit affirmed a ruling by the district court in West Virginia which sustained a disallowance of federal funding by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) against the West Virginia Medicaid Program.The 4th Circuit Decision in West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Medical Services vs. Kathleen Sebelius, et al. ruled that CMS acted within its authority when it withheld from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau of Medical Services, West Virginia'a Medicaid Program (DHHR) approximately $634,000 (which was reduced to approximately $446,000)in Medicaid funding, which represented it share of overpayment made to providers as a result of Dey, Inc., a pharmaceutical compa... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008413 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:49:33 +0100 5008413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664334&cid=t_139580_118_f&fid=34702&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmspblog%2F%7E3%2Fk7yiYCoqFfc%2F In a word – Yes. Every adult* should give serious thought to having and maintaining this important document. Establishing advance directives regarding future health care decisions can ensure that your wishes are met and can also relieve your family members of the stress of having to make difficult decisions for you. A living will tells others how you feel about care intended to sustain your life.  There are many issues to consider, including The use of dialysis and breathing machines If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops Tube feeding Organ or tissue donation A durable power of attorney for health care is a document that names someone you trust to make health decisions for you if at any time you are unable to make them. Always carry a copy of your personal... MSSPNexus Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664334 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:06:47 +0100 4664334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512617&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3sAMB9LDD1o%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is on the way. And as usual, we are preparing by quaffing the mandatory cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Golden French Toast. We would also like to remind your that we are hosting a webinar on requirements for disclosing payments to physicians (please look here). Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest to help you on your way. We hope today is productive and you achieve your goals. Have a good one… Texas AG Wants Actos Marketing Documents From Lilly (Dow Jones) US Protests Canadian Drugmaker Insolvency Case (Dow Jones) Vertex Reports Significant Data For Cystic Fibrosis Drug (The Street) India Begins Review Of Foreign Takeovers Of Drugmakers (Economic Times) Takeda Pulls Pain Drug That Is Now Called Useless (Japan Times) CMO Consolida... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512617 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:48:46 +0100 4512617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482971&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F2Ih8wqxzKjU%2F Another day, another subpoena. This time around, Novo Nordisk has received a subpoena from the US Attorney in Boston for “potential criminal offenses.” Specifically, the feds are interested in the way Novo Nordisk marketed and promoted three diabetes meds - NovoLog, Levemir and Victoza, according to a statement from the drugmaker. The disclosure comes less than a month after the drugmaker confirmed it would appeal a recent fine worth about $2.9 million levied by Russia’s Federal Antitrust Service for violating competition laws. Novo Nordisk allegedly refused to sign contracts with some customers without any justification and created discriminatory conditions for potential partners that may be anticompetitive (back story). (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482971 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:27:03 +0100 4482971 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399507&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNb9gopEJD8o%2F By David RittgersIf you haven’t seen it already, I recommend the Frontline report Are We Safer? Since September 11, 2001, the government has gone on a spending spree without any regard for fiscal federalism, dumping $31 billion into grant programs. The program is based on The Washington Posts’ Top Secret America article, “Monitoring America.” Watch it below: Much of this spending has gone to local pork projects or allowed state and local governments to avoid the realities of budgeting – spend federal counterterrorism dollars on normal law enforcement requirements while spending the local tax base on unsustainable pensions for public employees. For a tally of this excess, check out the Price of Peril, an interactive map showing homeland security spending by state, courtesy of the... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399507 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:49:22 +0100 4399507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3924888&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7haUacb_mtQ%2F By Tim LynchWe know that most of the people arrested and prosecuted in our criminal courts are indigent.  We also know that indigent legal representation is scandalous in many places around the country.  What to do?  The conventional remedy to this problem has been a plea to spend more money on our overburdened public defender organizations.  However, a new Cato paper takes a fresh look at this subject and proposes an entirely new model for the delivery of indigent legal services — defense vouchers that will empower defendants to choose their own attorneys.  Authors Stephen Schulhofer and David Friedman explain how such a system could be implemented and why it can be expected to provide an effective cure for the major ills of indigent defense organization. From the Executive Su... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3924888 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:29:49 +0100 3924888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876652&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-advice-for-college-bound-kids%2F2010.08.17 Sending a child off to college? Call your lawyer first. From the Weekend Wall Street Journal: After a few clients ran into difficulty getting information about adult children who were ill, Sheila Benninger, an attorney in Chapel Hill, N.C., began recommending that clients’ children designate a health-care power of attorney after they turn 18 to identify who can speak for them if they can’t. She also includes a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, release form that allows patients to determine who can receive information about their medical care and whether information about treatment for substance abuse, mental health or sexually transmitted diseases can be disclosed. You don’t have to use a lawyer. Generic health-care power-of-attorney forms ca... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876652 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3876652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560192&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fwomens-rights-what-happens-in-prison%2F photo: Thinkstock Everyone knows prison isn’t the nicest place in the world – we’ve all caught a minute or two of Lockdown on MSNBC or Locked Up Abroad on NatGeo. One would hope that those governing the prisons would be principled individuals; after all, inmates are in prison for committing a crime, and you’d think the guards would set an example. If that sounds a little too Hollywood, it is. According to a recent Mother Jones article, inmates at the Ohio Reformatory for Women who complained of abuse by guards were thrown into the hole (solitary confinement). As Just Detention International (formerly Stop Prisoner Rape) points out, the process of banishing prisoners to solitary confinement after reporting an incident discourages them from reporting abuse – and encoura... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560192 Wed, 12 May 2010 18:42:38 +0100 3560192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556076&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FFPICtrnihH4%2F By Michael F. CannonThe New York Times‘ Kevin Sack reports on the legal challenge to ObamaCare’s individual mandate launched by 20 state attorneys general: Some legal scholars, including some who normally lean to the left, believe the states have identified the law’s weak spot and devised a credible theory for eviscerating it… Jonathan Turley, who teaches at George Washington University Law School, said that if forced to bet, he would predict that the courts would uphold the health care law. But Mr. Turley said that the federal government’s case was far from open-and-shut, and that he found the arguments against the mandate compelling. “There are few cases in the history of the court system that have a more significant assertion of authority by the government,” s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556076 Tue, 11 May 2010 20:55:17 +0100 3556076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3432864&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3pfaF9XQCho%2F By Tim LynchThe BBC has put together an interesting documentary on the writ of habeas corpus, a legal concept most people have heard of, but too few understand and appreciate. You can stream it here. We should not forget that President Bush and the coterie of lawyers around him tried to advance a theory of executive power that would have made the writ of habeas corpus worthless.  I hasten to add that President Obama has not really disavowed Bush’s claims and so the danger to the great writ has not passed just because Bush has left office. Related video clip of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez here.  Related Cato work here, here,  and here. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3432864 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:40:10 +0100 3432864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420539&cid=t_139580_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F29%2Fteenage-bullying-leads-to-9-indictments%2F You know things have gotten bad when prosecutors start prosecuting teens — some on felony charges that could result in significant jail time — because of bullying. Yes, bullying. Most of us have experienced bullying at one point in our lives, or know someone who has been bullied. Of course for most, the bullying didn’t result in lifelong scars. Part of that is because the extremes of bullying were not really known 20 or 30 years ago. You couldn’t bully someone 24/7 through Facebook, Twitter, email and forums devoted entirely to making other people’s lives miserable (yes, such online communities exist). So nowadays sometimes bullying is taken to an extreme. Not by one or two teens or kids, but by a whole gang of them. In central Massachusetts, it led Phoebe P... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420539 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:17:02 +0100 3420539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3175989&cid=t_139580_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FHealthCareBlogLaw%2F%7E3%2FQlLBsisIdrU%2Fstate-attorney-general-hipaa-hitech.html My health law colleague, David Harlow, covers the news today on the first HIPAA enforcement action taken by a state attorney general under the new HITECH provision of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).David's post, HIPAA enforcement by state attorney general: The shape of things to come, provides a good summary of the announcement by the Connecticut Attorney General. More information via the Connecticut Attorney General press release.The lawsuit filed by the Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (coincidentally brother of David Blumenthal, National Coordinator of Health Information Technology) alleges that a health insurer, Health Net of Connecticut, Inc., failed to promptly notify the AG and other officials of a missing portable computer disk drive that conta... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3175989 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:57:09 +0100 3175989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052387&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FsCX47EFSY5g%2F By now, you probably have heard that Michael Loucks is leaving the US Attorney’s office in Boston, where he spent nearly 25 years and was the most visible and arguably influential prosecutor of health care fraud, especially fraud involving drugmakers. During his tenure, the Boston office prosecuted several of the largest drugmakers, including TAP Pharmaceuticals, Schering-Plough, Sanofi-Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline and, most recently, Pfizer, which paid a record-setting $2.3 billion fine. Among these were some landmark cases that have since set a tone for government prosecution of off-label marketing (here’s the laundry list). So what next for Loucks? And will the team he leaves behind retain a zeal for pursuing pharma wrongdoing? The In Vivo Blog speculates that prosecution of hea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052387 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:32:11 +0100 3052387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2981055&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fjvs9fA_dSUc%2F This is a reminder, citizen: Only cranks worry about vastly increased governmental power to gather transactional data about Americans’ online behavior. Why, just last week, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) informed us that there has not been any “demonstrated or recent abuse” of such authority by means of National Security Letters, which permit the FBI to obtain many telecommunications records without court order. I mean, the last Inspector General report finding widespread and systemic abuse of those came out, like, over a year ago! And as defenders of expanded NSL powers often remind us, similar records can often be obtained by grand jury subpoena. Subpoenas like, for instance, the one issued last year seeking the complete traffic logs of the left-wing site Indymedia for a parti... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2981055 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:51:03 +0100 2981055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2971950&cid=t_139580_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FlFw5q2DfmzY%2F People who were hoping for medicinal marijuana to become legal in the state of New Hampshire are waking up to dashed hopes today. The Senate fell short by two votes to be able to pass the bill. This happened despite the House’s clear message to pass (240 to 115) even over the Governor’s objections. (Please note that this is a corrected version – it is NH, not New Jersey, as originally posted. – Marijke) As usual, the opponents to legalizing medicinal marijuana say that there is the potential for abuse, use would set a “bad example” to children, and that the bill wasn’t restrictive enough. Medicinal marijuana has been found to help some people manage chronic pain, nausea due to illness or treatment, and help with other types of side effects or sympt... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2971950 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:44:28 +0100 2971950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2939384&cid=t_139580_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FlFw5q2DfmzY%2F People who were hoping for medicinal marijuana to become legal in the state of New Jersey are waking up to dashed hopes today. The Senate fell short by two votes to be able to pass the bill. This happened despite the House’s clear message to pass (240 to 115) even over the Governor’s objections. As usual, the opponents to legalizing medicinal marijuana say that there is the potential for abuse, use would set a “bad example” to children, and that the bill wasn’t restrictive enough. Medicinal marijuana has been found to help some people manage chronic pain, nausea due to illness or treatment, and help with other types of side effects or symptoms. Considering that it is possible to receive morphine, a much more powerful medication that marijuana could ever be, th... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2939384 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:44:28 +0100 2939384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934659&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6e7y8qitCgw%2F This, finally, is too much: Eric Holder, Attorney General of the United States, walked up to former DC Councilman Kevin Chavous at an event and told him to pull an ad criticizing the administration for its opposition to the DC school voucher program. The Attorney General of the United States! This is as outrageous and shameful as it is consistent with other administration hostilities toward free speech (see also here) and freedom of the press. There is a deep revulsion to such behavior in this country. It is not a Republican or a Democratic revulsion, it is an American one. Obama administration officials seem not to understand that, but voters will help them get the message the next time they go to the polls. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934659 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:29:16 +0100 2934659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2901617&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FO0xaG-advNQ%2F Another oral argument I attended this week was in the case of Perdue v. Kenny A., in which Cato filed a brief at the end of August.  The issue is whether a court can ever increase the statutorily set fees attorneys receive from the government when they successfully bring civil rights challenges to state action. In order to enforce civil rights guarantees, Congress had two choices: either expand the Department of Justice to cover all civil rights cases, or privatize the system and allow free market principles to encourage private attorneys to prosecute violations. Congress chose the latter, creating a system of market incentives to encourage private attorneys to enforce civil rights and hold elected representatives responsible for the waste of taxpayer dollars lost in the defense of legiti... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2901617 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:54:01 +0100 2901617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898921&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FaLvOQkVlIs0%2F Last week, I wrote a piece for Reason in which I took a close look at the USA PATRIOT Act’s “lone wolf” provision—set to expire at the end of the year, though almost certain to be renewed—and argued that it should be allowed to lapse. Originally, I’d planned to survey the whole array of authorities that are either sunsetting or candidates for reform, but ultimately decided it made more sense to give a thorough treatment to one than trying to squeeze an inevitably shallow gloss on four or five complex areas of law into the same space. But the Internets are infinite, so I’ve decided I’d turn the Reason piece into Part I of a continuing series on PATRIOT powers.  In this edition: Section 206, roving wiretap authority. The idea behind a roving wiretap s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898921 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:58:07 +0100 2898921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828186&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FgT-ocop5HCg%2F Despite Barack Obama’s frequent paeans to the value of transparency during the presidential campaign, his Justice Department has incensed civil liberties advocates by parroting the Bush administration’s broad invocations of the “state secrets privilege” in an effort to torpedo lawsuits challenging controversial interrogation and surveillance policies. Though in many cases the underlying facts have already been widely reported, DOJ lawyers implausibly claimed, not merely that particular classified information should not be aired in open court, but that any discussion of the CIA’s “extraordinary rendition” of detainees to torture-friendly regimes, or of the NSA’s warrantless wiretapping, would imperil national security. That may—emphasis on m... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828186 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:51:30 +0100 2828186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2800370&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FJFzVq5na4N4%2F Yesterday, President Obama’s lawyers informed members of Congress that the president does not want any provision of the  Patriot Act to expire.  Turns out that  Obama wants to have the sweeping powers.  This is just the latest example of the cacophony that pervades Washington.  When Bush was in the White House, the Dems postured against his runaway spending, his military quagmires, and his constitutional violations.  With Obama in the White House, Bush’s most misguided policies either continue or worsen. Obama is in the news today for his “off-the-record” comment about Kanye West.  It would have been better had a reporter overheard Obama saying something like, “John Ashcroft was a terrific Attorney General, but  I’ll never admit tha... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2800370 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:44:08 +0100 2800370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452380&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQqeN183F-9U%2F  The current Attorney General, Eric Holder, left DC’s Covington and Burling to return to the Justice Department, where he held a senior post during the Clinton years.  Holder’s mission is to supposedly ”rein in the free market excesses of the last eight years.”  Bush’s people are done with their own crackdown and are now returning to DC’s big law firms to warn their client business firms about the coming crackdown by Holder’s prosecutors.  This is sorta like the GOP legislators who are now trying to lodge complaints about Obama’s spending.  Despite the rhetoric, both sides aggrandize federal power and then enrich themselves (pdf) while advising businesspeople on how to comply with myriad regulations  from the alphabet agencies. F... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452380 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:38:51 +0100 2452380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2342102&cid=t_139580_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F14%2Fupdate-2%2F Attention class, I need everyone to pick up your hour glasses and hold them out in front of you.  I said everyone, girl way way in the back.  There.  Now.  Turn it over. And…here we are. Mark is starting to become human.  I only say starting because to me, he’s still a really big insane monster that’s storing up all the good feelings of the world in his belly with a lil window so you can see in it, but can’t get anywhere near it without electroshock therapy.  I shall call him anger tubbie. I’m guessing Mark finally decided that his awesome new life alone kinda sucked.  And that he made a mistake, that lead to another mistake, that then lead to at least a dozen, which cross referenced the first one, and branched off into their own, and so on.  And now h... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2342102 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:47:04 +0100 2342102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284344&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEwZpnqY6sFA%2F House Approves 90 Percent ‘Bonus Tax’ Sparked by outrage over the bonus checks paid out to AIG executives, the House approved a measure Thursday that would impose a 90 percent tax on employee bonuses for companies that receive more than $5 billion in federal bailout funds. Chris Edwards, Cato’s director of tax policy studies, says the outrage over AIG is misplaced: While Congress has been busy with this particular inquisition, the Federal Reserve is moving ahead with a new plan to shower the economy with a massive $1.2 trillion cash infusion — an amount 7,200 times greater than the $165 million of AIG retention bonuses. So members of Congress should be grabbing their pitchforks and heading down to the Fed building, not lynching AIG financial managers, most of whom... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284344 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:50:14 +0100 2284344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2249701&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FzMIFdxay2UA%2F Attorney General Eric Holder said recently that in order to quell the violence spilling over from the drug war in Mexico he will push to reinstate the ban on “assault weapons” in the United States. But, says Legal Policy Analyst David Rittgers in today’s Cato Daily Podcast, a policy like that won’t do much to quell violence. The [drug] cartels have access to lots and lots of money because of our prohibitionist policies in the US. And because of this money they can get these weapons whether we have them legal or illegal…and they’ll have access to the black market to get fully automatic machine guns if they want them. … If you like the war on drugs, you’re going to love the war on guns. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2249701 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:59:56 +0100 2249701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216723&cid=t_139580_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2FcxIK_e5-wEo%2F Tax time is here, so there often are questions about preparing taxes returns for Alzheimer’s patients.  Some have very simple reports while other may be involved in a business. Kathy has a question about signatures and wonders if her elderly brother, who has Alzheimer’s, can use his signature from last year on his tax returns.  “He does NOT like to sign his name anymore, because he gets confused,” Kathy said. I’m not a tax expert and only have the knowledge about what I did when filing personal and business returns for my mom when she could no longer sign her name.  I had power of attorney for her, so could sign the paperwork. However, her accountant did her tax returns and her attorney, who was knowledgeable about taxes, also advised us.  I probably had... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216723 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:00:55 +0100 2216723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1975915&cid=t_139580_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fvideo-power-of-attorney-in-california.html (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1975915 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:15:00 +0100 1975915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1975917&cid=t_139580_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fvideo-advance-healthcare-directives.html To have your healthcare wishes followed you need to have an Advance Healthcare Directive. Some people want to have as much medical care as possible if they are near the end of life, and others wish to have as little as possible. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1975917 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:13:00 +0100 1975917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1786186&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F388627601%2F The state of Texas is getting $28 million in a settlement over a lawsuit that alleged the drugmaker falsely reported wholesale drug prices to the state and federal Medicaid programs. The state will get $18 million in damages and $10 million in attorneys’ fees and costs. “The windfall profits from these inflated reimbursements, which date back to the early 1990s, induced providers to favor Abbott Laboratories over other manufacturers. The result was a long-term, but unlawful, market niche for the company,” according to a statement by Texas Attorney Greg Abbott. Abbott Laboratories did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement (here it is). The lawsuit was filed in 2004 on information from a whistleblower and, at the time, Abbott spun off its generic business to create ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1786186 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:56:24 +0100 1786186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1393900&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F276264866%2F Earlier this year, we noted that New Jersey’s Medicaid program spent more than $73 million on several antipsychotic meds for children less than 18 years old between 2000 and 2007, according to state records, even though the drugs weren’t approved by the FDA for treating kids. And a state official acknowledges the drugs may have been prescribed for conditions other than schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the approved uses. And so a state legislator wrote New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram calling for an investigation. In his letter, Pat Diegnan, an assemblyman who has previously been outspoken about the use of these meds, asked Milgram to pursue an investigation of the “alleged misrepresentations concerning the safety and effectiveness of antipscychotic drugs,” which he first... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1393900 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:01:31 +0100 1393900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1332797&cid=t_139580_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fexpired-identification-card-leads-to.html An elderly mother had been suddenly hospitalized, and her adult daughter who lived far away had arrived. But, in addition to the current crises, it turned out that the mother's California Identification Card (used by seniors who no longer have a drivers license) had expired six months ago. The daughter needed to obtain Power of Attorney quickly in the emergency, but ran into difficulties since the mother no longer had a California Identification card. Secure Horizons, the Medicare Supplemental, had not been paid by the mother for several months and was lapsing. But, they would not take a payment over the phone due to HIPPA.This was the sad story of misfortune I heard today from the adult daughter. She finally had two of her mother's neighbors sign as witnesses for her at a notary's. She wa... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1332797 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:02:00 +0100 1332797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1223753&cid=t_139580_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2F233571392%2F  AlzheimersNotes.com  At some point as Alzheimer’s disease progresses, the victim no longer can take care of finances, personal, and medical needs.  Even if family members can care for them, a caregiver often needs to have this made official. Depending on individual circumstances, family and patient cooperation, as well as legal requirements in specific states, the degree to which you’ll need to go to manage patient care will vary.  For instance, my mom gave me power of attorney for her affairs.  That was all I needed, in our situation, while I was responsible for her care.  However, the power of attorney was requested on many occasions in order for me to manage her affairs while I was caring for her. A cousin has become court appointed conservator for her mom and has pow... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1223753 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 06:00:06 +0100 1223753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1196811&cid=t_139580_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2F227897613%2F Okay, maybe that title is a little misleading on a breastfeeding blog. The gift I want you to consider giving your nursling, if you haven’t already, is the gift of writing your will (and possibly a trust), a medical durable power of attorney (that specifies the person(s) who can make medical decisions for you should you not be able) and a financial power of attorney (ditto re financial decisions). It’s not enough for you to tell your family or friends whom you would like to be guardians for your child should both you and your spouse pass away. You need to put it in writing in a legally binding document. Please don’t think of this as morbid. Think of it as insurance against something happening, as peace of mind, as the ultimate gift of love for your nursling. Have you wri... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1196811 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:25:31 +0100 1196811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1158442&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F218377024%2F Anne Milgram, who has already formed a task force to explore the curious interplay between docs and pharma, is intrigued by the plight of two former Amgen reps. You may recall that we wrote how a rep from New Jersey charges the biotech forced her to illegally promote Enbrel for off-label use - in this case, people with mild, not moderate or severe psoriasis. And a former California rep says he was told to rummage through patient files in physician offices, which violates privacy laws. And so the New Jersey attorney general has issued a subpoena seeking a “comprehensive array of documents and information concerning the marketing, sale and prescription of Enbrel between July 2002 and the present,” according to a statement. The principal focus of the inquiry is whether Amgen unla... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1158442 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:13:12 +0100 1158442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1060056&cid=t_139580_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F192442448%2F It’s generally assumed that mainstreaming and inclusion are the better, if not the best, options for special needs children—-but a November 27th article in the Wall Street Journal reports that a number of parents in New Jersey and around the nation think otherwise. Norette Travis’ daughter Valerie had already tried the mainstreaming approach that the disability-advocacy groups were supporting. After attending a preschool program for special-needs students, she was assigned to a regular kindergarten class. But there, her mother says, she disrupted class, ran through the hallways and lashed out at others — at one point giving a teacher a black eye. “She did not learn anything that year,” Ms. Travis recalls. “She regressed.” There are 80 publi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1060056 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:06:32 +0100 1060056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1031218&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F185770240%2F For those who are unfamiliar with the term, this is another way of saying corporate spying, although the practitioners do object to the description. Nonetheless, as in every industry, learning what the competition is doing is of utmost importance, particularly in pharma, where research is a closely guarded trade secret. In this video, Doug Melnick, a former pharma employee, tells how drugmakers gather info while staying within the law. Melnick, a preventive medicine physician, is a consultant to PharmedOut, an independent project funded by the Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program. For those who care to review this more closely, here is a transcript. Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1031218 Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:25:37 +0100 1031218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=939796&cid=t_139580_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F10%2F09%2Fwhen-adult-siblings-fight-6-steps-to-heal-the-hurt%2F The court reporter was readying her equipment while waiting for the next case to begin. The bailiff brought in the defendant. The court reporter glanced up to see the next man on trial. Imagine the her shock to see that the defendant being brought into criminal court was her mother’s court appointed guardian! This man was accused of embezzling from his nephew’s trust account.  Was this the same man who was managing her mother’s affairs through the county’s Public Guardian Office? Yes, it was. This true story made the front page of our local newspaper last week. The woman’s mother has Alzheimer’s Disease. Unfortunately, the mother never completed a power of attorney or health care directive before she became ill and unable to speak for herself. But ... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=939796 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 03:39:57 +0100 939796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=912190&cid=t_139580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F162594831%2F The drugmaker agreed last December to settle charges of giving kickbacks to docs and overcharging the government, but now the bill has come due. And this includes signing a 5-year corporate integrity agreement. The US Attorney in Boston, Mike Sullivan, charged Bristol-Myers with illegally compensating docs to induce them to prescribe oncology meds between 2000 and 2003.. The kickbacks included consulting fees, advisory board payments and travel to “luxurious resorts.” And there’s more: The drugmaker’s Apothecon unit was charged with paying retailers and wholesalers to stock its drugs; there was off-label promotion of the Abilify schizophrenia drug for use in kids for dementia-related psychosis, and Bristol-Myers also misreported its best price for its Serzone antide... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=912190 Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:48:45 +0100 912190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=824795&cid=t_139580_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F148882135%2Fwhen_warrior_minds_strike_lead.html Was it really Alberto Gonzales who failed us today ... or is the system we’ve created seriously flawed?  What’s worse – we’ve wired our collective mentality for even more axing. How so? Today Americans axed  U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and many people cheered his resignation. But did we win – or can we solve deeper problems that plague our progress, with a replacement such as Chertoff?That brief statement made from the Justice Department today seemed more than the conclusion of government services of Attorney General of the United States effective September 17. Let's look a bit closer. It’s about the way we ax problems rather than deep dive together for doable solutions. The resignation reminds us that problems continue to plague... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=824795 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:53:02 +0100 824795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=807335&cid=t_139580_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F08%2F05%2Fis-it-time-for-an-estate-planning-checkup-for-your-parents-or-you%2F Is your family like most others? Have your parents (or you) done some estate planning (see below for resources) and then filed the documents away to gather dust and cobwebs until they are needed? Why do I ask? Because if an illness or accident suddenly happened, you just might discover that those documents are out of date and don’t do the job they were supposed to do! In spite of the changes that my Dad made in recent years to his documents, he didn’t update all of them.  Now as his executrix, I am discovering that some of the documents don’t do what he and my mom originally wanted. As you may know from my previous posts, my father was frugal beyond belief. He never understood why attorneys got paid so much and tried to avoid using them whenever he could. But, he didn... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=807335 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:34:21 +0100 807335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=797211&cid=t_139580_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F143702341%2F5_setps_to_civility_in_larry_k.html While I am not a TV person, nevertheless,  whenever I get the chance I tune into CNN for the Larry King Live show. Larry holds the kind of fireside chat that rarely happens with people,  and luckily CNN turns on cameras to share stress free conversations that are both interesting and informative. Even in professional lounges – where compelling ideas emerge and where many could add value  – poor tone tends to pop up and rob any chance of holding hot topics to  the rainbow for another look.Not with Larry King – who tends to ask 2-footed questions that include a person's humanity as much as the topic they speak to. Five common mistakes that prevent civility in most controversial conversations, offer insight opportunities to Larry. Commo... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=797211 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:12:05 +0100 797211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=807337&cid=t_139580_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F07%2F17%2Fwhen-should-you-get-a-living-will-for-your-parent%2F One of the Yahoo Groups I regularly read has had an ongoing discussion about health care in the USA. One of the posts talked about the need for a medical power of attorney or Living Will as it’s sometimes called. K lives in New England. She told us what happened when her mother, who did not have a medical power of attorney, had a stroke and required hospitalization and then rehabilitation.  The hospital was willing to allow K to make the important medical decisions without any legal documents. But, when it came time to release K’s mother to the rehab facility, there was only one that would accept her. And, K was required to go to court to become her mother’s legal guardian for that one to accept her mom! In my Dad’s case, each time he was sent to the hospital, the ... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=807337 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:16:48 +0100 807337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=551386&cid=t_139580_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fstained-blue-fifth-amendment.html Meet George Bush's "Monica," just the sort of shiny-eyed, blond and Bushie-tailed fanatic loyalist that you'd need to help you betray your country. And after a few years of "all Monica, all the time," is the irony not palpable?Hullabaloo: "[W]hat were the Pat Robertson' U grad Monica Goodling's primary qualifications before joining the Department of Justice? She worked with Barbara Comstock and Timothy Griffin (the US Attorney from Arkansas who Rove pushed through under the patriot act) at the Bush Cheney oppo research department in 2000.It doesn't automatically make her a criminal, but it sure stinks of unethical politicization of the Justice Department.I heard Orrin Hatch filibuster for what seemed like hours this morning on Meet the Press about how there wasn't a 'shred of evidence' tha... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=551386 Mon, 02 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 551386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=462986&cid=t_139580_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthcarebloglaw.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F01%2Fsusan-wong-romaine-attorney-at-our-firm.html Susan Wong Romaine, an attorney at our firm recently authored an article on attorney-client privilege appearing in the Winter 2006 edition of the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia Newsletter. Congratulations to Susan on a great article.The article, Update on Attorney-Client Privilege, addresses recent changes under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines impacting the policy of federal prosecutors to grant leniency in charging and sentencing for corporation who waive their attorney-client and work product protections. The article also looks at a recent 5th Circuit decision, Willy v. Administrative Review Board, 423 F.3d 483 (5th Cir. 2005), involving a whistleblower lawsuit brought by in-house counsel.Update on Attorney-Client Privilege Attorneys typically practice with the confidence tha... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=462986 Tue, 09 Jan 2007 04:10:00 +0100 462986