M.L.S. in Healthcare Law

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course examines the United States court system, the role of the Constitution in the United States legal system, and other foundational materials in United States law. You will gain an understanding of how law functions with various aspects of our society and how it plays an increasingly significant role in conflict resolution, civil liberties, contracts, and property agreements.

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course will cover the different legal forms of a healthcare organization, including nonprofit, physician-owned, government-owned, and hospital systems. You will become familiarized with the contents and roles of organizational documents, governance issues, fiduciary duties, issues for tax-exempt organizations, and the relationships between physicians and tax-exempt entities.

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course is designed to introduce you to the laws, agencies, and other bodies that license, regulate, and discipline physicians. Topics covered include licensing proceedings, hearings, and the healthcare entity policies addressing these issues.

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course provides you with working knowledge of the business side of medicine, including medical record documentation, coding, and billing. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the legal role of the medical record, including obligations for the organization as well as its support for reimbursement of services.

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course will cover public health insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid, government hospitals, and other government-financed health programs. In addition, you will learn what treatment is required of anyone coming into an Emergency department by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course covers federal physician self-referral law, commonly known as the Stark Law, as well as fraud and abuse law. Topics include:

• Statutes, regulations, and advisory opinions that define the parameters of physician referrals and anti-kickback laws
• Case studies for fraud and self-referral issues
• The False Claims Act as well as regulations designed to combat false claims and other types of fraudulent activities

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course will cover health information law and policy as it pertains to data security and privacy of electronic health records in the United States. You will examine how individual health information is collected, maintained, and transferred as well as the ramifications when such information is improperly protected, stolen, or misused.

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course focuses on antitrust issues that are relevant to healthcare providers, including hospital mergers, physician mergers, virtual mergers, and joint ventures. Topics include:

• Exclusive contracts
• Medical staff exclusion issues
• Non-compete covenants
• Antitrust defenses
• Federal and state healthcare antitrust regulatory efforts

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course covers the business, regulatory, and legal issues that arise in healthcare business combinations and other transactions. Topics include:

• Asset sales, mergers, joint ventures, procurement contracts, and application of tax laws to transactions
• Fundamental principles of contract law
• Role valuations in healthcare transactions

Credits: 2

Course Description: This course will discuss how healthcare providers and institutions can be held liable as well as the consequences of agency and contractor status. Additionally, you will examine the elements of negligence in cases involving healthcare professionals.