Media Mentions
2008
Bernadette Broccolo was quoted in the September 8 issue of The National Law Journal regarding McDermott's relationship with the medical device trade group, Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed). "The seminars are technically AdvaMed's, but the relationship gives the firm exposure to the hundreds of device companies, large, medium and small, that are members of AdvaMed," said Ms. Broccolo.
Bernadette M. Broccolo, Health, Life Sciences & Medical Devices, Life Sciences - Health
Bernadette Broccolo was quoted in the January 2008 issue of Briefings on HIPAA in an article regarding difficulties in trying to keep patient information private while conducting medical research. "The needs of the researchers will never be seen by regulators as greater than the privacy needs of the patients. However, obtaining patient authorization can be difficult and often impossible, especially when researchers need to access historical data from a large number of individuals and those individuals do not need a study for their own clinical care," said Ms. Broccolo.
Bernadette M. Broccolo, Health
2007
Bernadette M. Broccolo was quoted in the June 4 issue of Modern Healthcare in the cover story regarding how the IRS’ updated reporting rules for tax-exempt organizations could require full disclosure on community benefits and charity care. Revisions to Form 990 that boost data collection and public access could head off congressional action. “The legislative process would most likely take a lot more time for the kind of reforms (Baucus and Grassley are) looking for,” Ms. Broccolo said.
Bernadette M. Broccolo, Health, Tax Exemption
McDermott Will & Emery was mentioned in the April 26 issue of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as the firm that is advising the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on the development of "best-in-class" policies and processes for monitoring and managing individual and institutional conflicts of interest. Bernadette Broccolo is leading the client team on this matter.
Bernadette M. Broccolo, Health, Health - General Counsel
Bernadette Broccolo was quoted in BNA’S Health Law Reporter in an article regarding an IRS directive that was issued stating that exempt hospitals might enter into certain arrangements with physicians to help facilitate their adoption of electronic health record technologies without violating federal tax laws. “While CMS’s regulations permitted hospitals to subsidize up to 85 percent of these HER system costs, it had been an open question as to whether IRS would embrace the same percentage given its exempt hospital and private inurement oversight perspective. That questions has now been answered,” Ms. Broccolo said.
Bernadette M. Broccolo, Health, Life Sciences & Medical Device Litigation, Life Sciences - Health, Tax Exemption
2006
Stephen Bernstein, Bernadette Broccolo and Heidi Echols were quoted in the August 24 issue of BNA's Health Law Reporter. Ms. Broccolo commented, "I'm not sure the government entirely realizes how big a task it's taken on for itself, but I do applaud the meaningful progress these regulations represent." Ms. Echols and Mr. Bernstein described the hurdles to implementing the 15 percent cost-sharing provision in the electronic health records exception. "A hospital licenses a software package for an unlimited number of users who fit within a certain category or meet certain criteria so when it rolls it out it is hard to know what the precise cost will be per person," Ms. Echols said. Mr. Bernstein added, "There may be things hospital donors want to pay for and there may be things that they don't. There also may be things they are precluded from paying for that are still rolled into the package."
Stephen W. Bernstein, Bernadette M. Broccolo, Heidi Y. Echols, Health
2005
Bernadette Broccolo was quoted in the June 27 issue of Modern Healthcare in the article "A Higher Standard" regarding the latest report from the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector that included 120 proposals for improving accountability and transparency for all not-for-profits. "I'm not a betting person, but my instinct tells me that we're going to get reform," Ms. Broccolo said. "And that reform will draw on the panel's proposals for ideas. The IRS has already outlined steps not-for-profits can take to show that their governing boards diligently sought out and evaluated appropriate salary data. If a full board or an authorized committee, none of which have a conflict of interest, approved compensation in advance; used comparable compensation data to arrive at an offer; and documented the rationale for a decision as it's being made, then the responsible board members have established a rebuttable presumption."
Bernadette M. Broccolo, Health, Tax Exemption
2004
Bernadette Broccolo was quoted in BNA's Daily Tax Report on August 11 regarding the new IRS enforcement effort to stop abuses by groups that award excessive compensation and benefits to officers and insiders. Ms. Broccolo said she will advise her clients that they should be doing internal reviews of compensation to look at things like rebuttable presumption procedures and how they are reporting compensation on Form 990. She noted that organizations should make sure there is ample comparability data and that the body that decides compensation is independent.
Bernadette M. Broccolo, Health, Tax, Tax Exemption
Bernadette Broccolo illustrated how the IRS Revenue ruling 2004-51 adds to existing guidelines for joint ventures between exempt and for-profit entities in the May 7 edition of BNA Daily Tax Reporter. She noted that "it complements Rev. Rul. 98-15 by setting forth facts and circumstances the IRS will consider in deciding how to characterize an ancillary joint venture with shared control."