Elizabeth F. Hodge

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A former president of the Florida Academy of Healthcare Attorneys, Betsy Hodge concentrates her practice on compliance and regulatory issues affecting health care providers and payers and employer-sponsored health plans. Betsy has significant experience with HIPAA and the HITECH Act and assists covered entities and business associates in complying with these laws through the development of policies and procedures, workforce training, analysis and notification of breaches, and assisting with government audits and investigations.  In addition, she counsels her clients on regulatory issues, including state and federal fraud and abuse laws.

 

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Employers Must Keep Reproductive Health Information About Their Plan Participants Private Under New HIPAA Privacy Rule

By Elizabeth F. Hodge and Beth Alcalde on Posted in Employee Benefits, Privacy
Imagine you are a corporate Human Resources/Total Rewards leader who receives a request from a state’s law enforcement agency for health plan records about a plan participant’s abortions or other reproductive health care. How should you respond? Since most company health plans are considered a “HIPAA covered entity,” the request should be generally be denied, … Continue Reading

On the Basis of Sex… Discrimination in Group Health Plans and What Employers Should Know

By Beth Alcalde and Elizabeth F. Hodge on Posted in Employee Benefits, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation
In just a few days’ time, recently promulgated federal final rules addressing sex-based nondiscrimination in the administration of health care benefits have created a flurry of healthcare industry activity. The angst arises from providers, payers, and certain health plans alike. While the spotlight shines brightest on healthcare providers and health insurers, the focus of this … Continue Reading

U.S. Supreme Court Allows Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare but Blocks Vaccine-Or-Test Rule for Large Private Businesses

By William P. Heller, Arlene K. Kline, Elizabeth F. Hodge, Thaddeus Kleckley and Akerman Law on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Workplace Safety & OSHA
On January 13, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court prevented President Biden’s vaccination or testing mandate for large employers (issued as an OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)) from being enforced.  The Court allowed the vaccine mandate for certain healthcare workers issued by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to go into effect nationwide, initially … Continue Reading

Biden Administration Unveils Long-Awaited COVID-19 Rules For Large Employers and Healthcare Workers

By Andrew C. Karter and Elizabeth F. Hodge on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Workplace Safety & OSHA
The wait is over for employers seeking clarity on the details of the Biden Administration’s vaccine and testing rules for private employers, first announced by President Biden in early September and now slated to take effect in part by an initial compliance date of December 6, 2021, with remaining requirements effective alongside federal contractor vaccine … Continue Reading

Broad Vaccine Mandates Ahead

By Melissa L. Cizmorris, Elizabeth F. Hodge and Lillian Chaves Moon on Posted in Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Workplace Safety & OSHA
Private employers with 100 or more employees will be required to ensure their employees are either “fully vaccinated” or provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test at least once a week, under President Biden’s new six-prong COVID-19 Action Plan (the “Plan”) announced September 9, 2021. The Plan also includes vaccination requirements for employees of healthcare … Continue Reading

ERISA Plan Sponsors – Watch Your Participants’ Data! DOL Issues New Cybersecurity Guidance for Retirement Plans

By Beth Alcalde, Elizabeth F. Hodge and Amber Roberts on Posted in Employee Benefits
In response to a recent General Accounting Office (GAO) report recommending federal guidance to mitigate cybersecurity risks in retirement plans and to respond to ever-increasing cyber threats to plan participant data and plan assets, the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) published its first cybersecurity guidance for plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries, record keepers, and plan … Continue Reading

Buyer Beware – FBI Warns of Fraud Involving Procurement of PPE and Other COVID-19 Supplies

By Elizabeth F. Hodge on Posted in Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Workplace Safety & OSHA
Many employers are now making plans to have their employees return to the workplace. Based on recent alerts from the FBI, part of preparing to protect workers from COVID-19 at work should include protecting the company from falling prey to fraudsters. To do that, employers should put in place procedures to carefully screen vendors from … Continue Reading

COVID-19 Inquiries and Disclosures in the Workplace

By Beth Alcalde, Elizabeth F. Hodge and Akerman Law on Posted in Employee Benefits, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention
Once an employee has been exposed to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, what do you do? Once an employee has tested positive, what do you say? How does an employer walk the fine line between protecting the privacy of affected individuals and ensuring the safety of others in the workplace? Because a national … Continue Reading
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