Policy & Compliance

  • August 28, 2026

    Medical Marijuana Industry Grapples With DEA's New Role

    After years of allowing the state-sanctioned medical marijuana industry to operate without interference, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is stepping in to regulate a drug it once treated exclusively as contraband, but attorneys and regulators say the cannabis industry's interactions with the agency are off to a rocky start.

  • August 28, 2026

    Fla. Says PBMs Fixed Prices For Prescription Drugs

    Florida's attorney general on Thursday sued two competing pharmacy benefit managers for allegedly colluding to fix prescription drug reimbursement rates to pharmacies, which the state said threatens Floridians' access to affordable medications.

  • August 28, 2026

    4 Arguments For Benefits Attys To Watch In September

    The Fifth Circuit will weigh Louisiana's bid to block telehealth access to the abortion drug mifepristone, while the Fourth Circuit will hear Lockheed Martin's challenge to a trial court decision that kept a pension de-risking suit alive. Here's a look at these and other argument sessions that should be on benefits attorneys' radar next month.

  • August 27, 2026

    PBMs Hammer Opioid Judge In Last-Ditch Gambit At 6th Circ.

    An Ohio federal judge knowingly flouted a Sixth Circuit rebuke by forcing two of the largest remaining defendants in multidistrict opioid litigation to either "settle for enormous sums or litigate for years hundreds of cases," says a Thursday petition urging the appeals court to intervene.

  • August 27, 2026

    Albertsons Loses Bid For Midtrial Win In Wash. Opioid Case

    Albertsons can't escape the state of Washington's lawsuit accusing the pharmacy chain and its Safeway subsidiary of contributing to the state's opioid crisis, a state judge ruled Thursday in denying the company's bid to dismiss the case midtrial.

  • August 27, 2026

    CVS Must Face Investor Claims Over AI Use Omissions

    A New York federal judge trimmed a proposed investor class action Thursday that alleges CVS Health Corp. concealed that its profitability was largely driven by its use of artificial intelligence, allowing the case to proceed on "actionable half-truths" that the company misrepresented the effects of its AI use.

  • August 27, 2026

    States' Suit Says HHS Terms Threaten Family Planning Dollars

    Twenty-three states launched a lawsuit in Maryland federal court Thursday challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' new conditions on federal funding for family planning services that they say would require recipients end support for "gender ideology," abandon diversity programming and drive patients toward parenthood and marriage.

  • August 27, 2026

    What Kaiser's D&O Win Means For 'Return Of Funds' Fights

    A California federal judge's ruling that the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan was not automatically prohibited from claiming coverage for multiplied damages that were part of a $581 million False Claims Act settlement provided policyholders with a guide to defeating a common dispute. Freya Bowen, counsel at Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP's insurance recovery practice, spoke to Law360 about the purpose of what is known as the return of funds exclusion and about how the court's focused inquiry was the product of a policyholder strategy that can prove useful in future D&O disputes.

  • August 27, 2026

    Website Arbitration Pact Can't Thwart Caremark ERISA Suit

    A New York federal judge narrowed a suit accusing CVS Caremark of improperly denying coverage for a specific GLP-1 drug but kept the bulk of the case in court, finding that an arbitration agreement featured on the company's website doesn't apply to benefit plans.

  • August 27, 2026

    Colo. Hospital Can't Split Discovery In Retirement Funds Suit

    A Colorado federal judge rejected a faith-based nonprofit hospital's bid for the court to bifurcate discovery in a lawsuit brought by former employees accusing the health system of mismanaging their retirement funds, finding the requested action "would hinder judicial economy."

  • August 26, 2026

    5th Circ. Upholds Drug Negotiations In Blow To Big Pharma

    Medicare's landmark program of drug price negotiations doesn't flout constitutional provisions involving the separation of powers, due process or excessive fines, the Fifth Circuit ruled late Wednesday, delivering a fresh blow to the pharmaceutical industry's campaign to tee up U.S. Supreme Court review.

  • August 26, 2026

    Healthcare Cos. Must Face Whistleblower's PPP Fraud Suit

    A New York federal judge has dismissed a bid to toss a compliance consultant's whistleblower suit against a trio of home healthcare companies for alleged fraud under the government's Paycheck Protection Program, rejecting the companies' arguments that her claims should be barred because she is not an original source of information.

  • August 26, 2026

    NJ Can't Force Access To ICE Detention Center, Feds Say

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has pressed a New Jersey federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit from the Garden State's health commissioner seeking access to a Newark immigration detention center, saying whether state officials can inspect the facility is up to the federal government.

  • August 26, 2026

    Humana Keeps Conspiracy Claims Against Mylan, Lannett

    A federal judge refused to grant Mylan and Lannett summary judgment on claims in Humana's suit alleging a conspiracy to fix the prices of generic drugs ahead of its bellwether trial, calling it premature and noting that the other parties did not join the motion.

  • August 26, 2026

    Group Says HHS Can't Cut Certain Immigrants' Medicaid

    A Seattle-based community organization accused the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of misinterpreting the 2025 federal budget bill, telling a Washington federal court it cannot strip Medicaid benefits away from noncitizens receiving Supplemental Security Income.

  • August 26, 2026

    2nd Circ. Says Shield Law Covers Doctor In COVID Death Suit

    The Second Circuit on Wednesday affirmed the dismissal of a Connecticut estate's malpractice suit alleging a doctor negligently prescribed high doses of prednisone to an elderly COVID-19 patient who subsequently died of organ failure, finding the suit is barred under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act.

  • August 26, 2026

    Idaho Abortion Ban Relief Narrowed To 1 Doctor

    An Idaho federal judge walked back his recent order barring the state from enforcing its near-total abortion ban in certain health-related circumstances, finding that precedent in the U.S. Supreme Court supported a narrower injunction.

  • August 26, 2026

    7th Circ. Holds High Court Ruling Supports Ark. PBM Rule

    The Seventh Circuit refused Wednesday to revive a union fund's challenge to an Arkansas rule making health plans disclose pharmacy compensation and pay fees, backing a lower court's holding that the rule was in line with a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that permitted state cost regulations on pharmacy benefit managers.

  • August 26, 2026

    Meta Makes $17B Deal With States Over Child Harms

    Meta has agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion and enact reforms to Facebook and Instagram to resolve sprawling social media addiction claims, in the midst of a high-stakes bellwether trial over whether the company hid or downplayed its platforms' allegedly harmful impact on minors, state enforcers say.

  • August 25, 2026

    Albertsons Witness Says Co.'s Opioid Policies Beat Standards

    Albertsons' pharmacy policies for reviewing potentially suspicious opioid prescriptions "met or exceeded" the standard of care, an expert witness for the company testified Tuesday, on the 26th day of a bench trial in Washington's case accusing the pharmacy chain of fueling the state's opioid epidemic.

  • August 25, 2026

    Merck Drug Price Row Loss, $56M Biotech Verdict And More

    Law360 Healthcare Authority looks at a D.C. federal court's rejection of Merck's challenge to the Medicare drug price negotiation program, a Delaware federal jury's $56 million verdict in a patent row over cell analysis technology and other litigation outcomes impacting the healthcare industry.

  • August 25, 2026

    Ed Dept. Must Turn Over Records In Mental Health Grants Row

    A Washington federal judge Monday partly granted a group of states' bid for expedited discovery in their suit over the Trump administration's attempt to cut nearly $1 billion in funding for K-12 mental health grants, finding the information could assist the court before a hearing for a preliminary injunction.

  • August 25, 2026

    Meet The Atty In Colo. Hospital Gender Care Lawsuit

    Paula Greisen has represented clients in the LGBTQ+ community in major litigation over the past decade. In recent days, she helped secured class certification in a lawsuit against Children's Hospital Colorado.

  • August 25, 2026

    Trump Not Likely to Change Direction of School Vaccine Law

    States that don't allow religious exemptions to school vaccine mandates have often prevailed in legal challenges. Despite renewed pressure from the Trump administration, legal experts expect the winning streak to go on.

  • August 25, 2026

    HHS Info Request Signals Potential Shift In Vax Policy

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showed skepticism about "top-down mandates" and broad vaccine recommendations. It sets the stage for overhauling how the government delivers its vaccine recommendations.

Expert Analysis

  • Accelerated Psychedelic Therapy Pathways Require Caution

    Author Photo

    President Donald Trump's new executive order aiming to accelerate the approval of psychedelic drugs for the treatment of mental health disorders will likely bolster investigational psychedelic therapies, but parties within the psychedelic product supply chain will still need to prepare for potentially burdensome compliance requirements, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Health Cos. Must Act Quickly To Secure Digital Front Doors

    Author Photo

    A fast-approaching deadline will require health providers to implement digital accessibility standards to their websites, necessitating important compliance steps that will help to ensure equal access to online health services, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • How Oregon Ruling Affects Federal Gender Care Crackdown

    Author Photo

    In a favorable development for healthcare providers, an Oregon federal court recently vacated certain U.S. Department of Health and Human Services restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, but the government's broader campaign against this care, including proposed rulemaking and agency investigations, leaves significant uncertainty, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • NY Opioid Antagonist Mandate Leaves Employers Guessing

    Author Photo

    A recently enacted New York law will require employers that are federally mandated to maintain first-aid supplies to now include an opioid antagonist, but being that it is subject to a complicated Occupational Safety and Health Administration analysis, employers face several unanswered compliance questions, say attorneys at Conn Maciel.

  • Calif. Case Raises Questions For Medical Practice Investors

    Author Photo

    The California attorney general's amicus brief in Art Center v. WCE and the California Medical Association's response highlight how the California appeals court's ruling could significantly affect the structure and enforceability of succession arrangements in medical practice ownership, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • Previewing FDA Preapproval Access In Psychedelics EO

    Author Photo

    The second of two pathways for psychedelic drug access outlined in President Donald Trump's recent executive order constitutes an unprecedented expansion of the Right to Try Act, which could fundamentally alter the psychedelic access landscape while presenting significant regulatory, operational and legal challenges, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • Previewing FDA National Priority Vouchers In Psychedelics EO

    Author Photo

    President Donald Trump's recent executive order on psychedelic drug access represents a watershed moment in federal drug policy, but its significance lies in two distinct regulatory pathways, the first being the Commissioner's National Priority Vouchers, which offer a significant opportunity to compress U.S. Food and Drug Administration review, say Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell and Odette Hauke at Odette Alina.

  • AG Watch: Texas Charts A Course On Investigative Authority

    Author Photo

    The Texas Supreme Court's recent decision in Texas v. PFLAG affirmed, and arguably expanded, the Texas attorney general's civil investigative demand authority, providing a road map that other courts evaluating state attorney general CIDs may find instructive, amid a lack of precedent, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • Initial Virginia AG Actions Signal Focus On Multistate Efforts

    Author Photo

    Now that Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has reached the 100-day mark in office, his first set of actions reveals a clear preference for coalition with regional and national counterparts, which means the primary risk for businesses is no longer just the fact of enforcement, but the speed at which investigations can escalate, says Lauren Cooper at Hogan Lovells.

  • How CMS Fraud Priorities Complicate Provider Acquisitions

    Author Photo

    As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services steps up usage of its affiliates authority and post-transaction audits, parties contemplating the acquisition or sale of home health and hospice providers should take steps to avoid the potential suspension of Medicare billing privileges, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Mapping Philly US Atty's White Collar Enforcement Push

    Author Photo

    Attorneys at Blank Rome discuss the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania David Metcalf’s commitments and priorities, survey early results from his first year, and suggest practical action items for companies operating under the office's jurisdiction.

  • How The Coming Months Will Shape State Drug Price Boards

    Author Photo

    The future of state prescription drug affordability boards may be determined in the next few months, between an upcoming court decision in a challenge against state authority to set drug prices, and pending state decisions about whether to use federal Medicare maximum fair prices as reference, say Michael Kolber, Steven Chen and Kelechi Ezealaji at Manatt.

  • Steps To Consider As DOJ Launches Fraud Division

    Author Photo

    The establishment this month of the National Fraud Enforcement Division within the U.S. Department of Justice is a significant reorganization that suggests an increase in enforcement activity involving federally funded programs but leaves a number of important questions unanswered, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.