In recent years, prescription drug prices have been top-of-mind for state legislators, who have responded by passing laws that seek to control that pricing in a variety of ways, including by regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC Blogs
Latest from Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
District Court Blocks Department of Labor Enforcement of Contractor DEI Certification Requirement
On April 14, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly ruled, in relevant part, that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) cannot require federal grant recipients to certify that their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs do not violate applicable federal anti-discrimination law and prohibited the termination of the plaintiff’s Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional…
White House Announces “Revolutionary FAR Overhaul”: What to Know
Through a duo of Executive Orders (EOs), issued on April 15 and 16 respectively, President Trump announced “a first-of-its-kind overhaul of Federal procurement policy.” The rewrite represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make an incredibly complex system more efficient and user friendly. With that said, while the president positions the changes as an effort of “increase[ing]…
Key Takeaways from DOJ’s Continued Cybersecurity Enforcement
On March 25, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a $4.6 million settlement with MORSECORP, Inc. (MORSE) over its alleged failures to satisfy cybersecurity requirements for federal defense contractors.…
False Claims Act Gives Broad Dismissal Authority to Government, District Judge Says
On April 2, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed a whistleblower’s False Claims Act (FCA) action after the relator attempted to dismiss the government as a plaintiff-intervenor in the lawsuit.
IRS Guidance Regarding ACA Employer Information Reporting Requirements
By Susie Bilbro & Nicole Roth
As announced in our previous HR Law Talk blog post, the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act (PBRA) made important changes to employers’ responsibilities to furnish information to employees under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As part of the changes, employers may now provide “clear, conspicuous, and accessible” notice that individuals may request their Form 1095-B…
Tennessee Supreme Court Holds that Petitioning the State Government is Not Conduct Protected by the Common Law Tort of Retaliatory Discharge Against a Private Employer
A recent Tennessee Supreme Court decision has addressed a matter of first impression after years of contentious debate regarding employer COVID-19 vaccination policies for employees. Heather Smith (Smith) filed a lawsuit against BlueCross BlueShield (BlueCross) after BlueCross terminated her at-will employment.…
New False Claims Act Settlement Highlights Importance of Voluntary Self-Disclosures and Due Diligence
According to an April 1 Department of Justice (DOJ) press release, DRI Relays Inc. (DRI), a subsidiary of TE Connectivity Corporation (TEC) and manufacturer of electrical relays and sockets used on military platforms, agreed to pay $15.7 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA).
Changes to Government Contracting and Grants Under the Trump Administration
We recently authored an article for Federal News Network discussing how to navigate Trump administration changes to government contracting and grants.…
SEC Withdraws Defense of Climate Disclosure Rules
As a follow-up to our blog post in February about the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) pause in defending its Climate Disclosure Rules, on March 27, the SEC notified the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that it was officially withdrawing its defense of those rules.…