Renewal of Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
On July 19, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issued a Renewal of Determination that a Public Health Emergency Exists extending the federal COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) for another ninety (90) days effective July 20, 2021. The PHE has been in place since January…
2021 Arkansas Insurance Legislation Summary: Health Insurance
This is the third article in a series of summaries of Insurance legislation from the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly. The 93rd Arkansas General Assembly convened on January 11, 2021 and entered into an extended recess on April 27, 2021. The resolution authorizing the extended recess provides for the…
Mandating COVID-19 Vaccines in Hospitals
On June 4, 2021, a federal judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked Houston Methodist Hospital (the “Hospital”) from requiring its employees to receive one of the currently-available COVID-19 vaccines. One hundred sixteen employees of the Hospital (the…
Peer Review Immunity is a Bar to Doctor's Allegations of Defamation
When a doctor is subject to a formal peer review proceeding, those involved must pay close attention to the medical staff bylaw and any hospital policies, procedures, and rules governing the process. These protections require a high degree of confidentiality, to protect the physician subject to…
Expiration of Arkansas' Public Health Emergency
Since the COVID-19 public health emergency was initiated in Arkansas in March 2020, Governor Asa Hutchinson has repeatedly renewed the emergency order, maintaining the public health emergency for fourteen (14) months. However, Governor Hutchinson has declared that he will not renew the current…