In the last few years, the health care industry has focused on issues related to inequalities in the system. These include overt characteristics, such as age, gender, and race, as well as unconscious bias and medical conditions. The upcoming year will bring about more discussion on these topics, and a greater focus on ways to alleviate them.
One example of this is the COVID-19 vaccination mandate, ordered by President Biden in September 2021. It required private sector employers with more than 100 employees to have their workers vaccinated. This regulation was challenged in court multiple times, but it survived.
Another example of the legal feats of the past is the new federal regulation requiring hospitals to disclose their negotiated reimbursement rates with third-party payers. This rule will be effective January 1, 2021. Despite changes in administrations and legislation since 2020, the regulation continues to stand.
A key legal issue in 2020 is immigration. Courts will look into the conditions of detention and whether corporate involvement is responsible for human trafficking.
Another notable example is the Family With Service Needs (FWSN) initiative. This program is designed to help children who engage in indecent or immoral conduct, run away without just cause, or continuously defy school rules. Children are monitored during daytime hours and are supervised for up to seven days a week.
Another key legal issue in 2020 is the Vietnam Era Veterans Act, which requires health care employers to create diversity goals. Additionally, there are a number of other initiatives focusing on these issues, including the National Healthcare Safety Network.
As we head into the next few years, advocates and policy makers are looking for solutions to the growing global challenges, including violence, climate change, and discrimination. Some of the most common areas of concern will be LGBTQ rights, healthcare, and immigration. Laws are also important in protecting survivors of violence against women.
While there is no one answer for the most important legal issue of the decade, there are several that will make headlines in the coming years. For instance, the COVID-19 vaccination mandate may make a major impact on the health care industry.
Similarly, the FTC’s study on the price and non-price factors involved in mergers between hospital providers and other providers could lead to enforcement action. Ultimately, the outcome of a legal issue is based on how the court interprets the law.
There is also the case flow coordinator, who manages the scheduling and monitoring of all cases in the trial court system. He or she keeps track of cases and helps to plan for trials.
When it comes to the legal odols of the past, the first thing to notice is that the COVID-19 vaccination mandate, the new federal regulation, and the VA’s new healthcare safety net programs all came about after litigation in many states. Other issues of the past will continue to be the subject of litigation, including immigration, violence against women, and more.