Mintz

The proposed change to Medicare Part D’s contracting rule would allow pharmacies to terminate contracts without cause and without permission from the pharmacy benefit managers. Member Lauren Moldawer recently spoke to Healthcare Brew on this proposed change and its potential impact on PBMs and health plans. She noted that this rule change could create a lot of uncertainty for PBMs and additional administrative work for PBMs (e.g., notifying members when a pharmacy threatens to leave the network, re-notifying members if the pharmacy changes its mind and plans to stay in network), and the cost for these administrative tasks could be passed through to the health pan. She stated, “In negotiations between the [Part D] plan and PBM, the more administrative tasks the PBM has, [the more] they charge the plan. They could use it to leverage more money from the plans on their administrative fees, and then that could increase costs.” https://bit.ly/4ia01xm

Corporations are consolidating dental practices, reshaping the industry, and potentially impacting patients. International Chair of Life Sciences Cheryl Reicin shared her insights with Canadian Affairs on this trend. She noted the cost of properly equipping a clinic can be another factor in consolidation, saying, “There’s a big push for the latest and greatest technology, and that’s expensive.” Read more here. https://bit.ly/41BaKKd

In the latest episode of the Mintz on Air: Practical Policies podcast, Member Jen Rubin hosts a conversation with Associate Evan Piercey on the divide between state and federal DEI initiatives. Together, they discuss the significance of understanding these conflicts and the best practices to ensure compliance with evolving regulations. Topics covered include: · The conflict between federal and state DEI policies · Understanding preemption and federal-state conflicts · Employer compliance amid federal and state tensions · Legal challenges and court rulings on DEI policies · Navigating policy uncertainty and next steps for employers Listen to the full episode here. https://bit.ly/3FCOM1O

Last Week, Members Reza Dokhanchy and Paul Huston hosted an ACC San Diego - Association of Corporate Counsel lunch panel with Paul Liu of PacketFabric on securing a company’s proprietary data. Together they explored the complexities of securing data in a global, remote-first workforce, addressed key legal and compliance challenges, and offered practical solutions to safeguard company information. To see future events and ACC panels our attorneys are hosting, click here. https://bit.ly/3Qxeu9N

Happy Pi Day! To celebrate, our San Diego office hosted its annual Pi Day Competition. This yearly bake-off challenges staff to create pies that are judged on overall appearance, structure, difficulty, and taste. Denise Hauffe was this year’s winner with a brownie-infused adaptation on Grasshopper Pie and won a stuffed Mintz (mincemeat) pie!

At Mintz, we take immense pride in fostering an environment where our women attorneys can thrive and lead. Our commitment to providing leadership opportunities is unwavering, and we are proud to see our women attorneys excel, providing premium client service, driving innovation, and upholding excellence across their practices. Learn more about our women-led practices here. https://bit.ly/4kPATxo

Amidst the rapid changes across the federal government, employers need to remain aware of the current and potential changes to employment and immigration laws. In a recent webinar, Immigration Chair John Quill, and Associates J. Corbin Carter and Emma Nitzberg Follansbee discuss the potential impacts of these shifts and how in-house counsel can stay informed and effectively prioritize their resources. Watch the full webinar here. https://bit.ly/4ipaIvQ

To date, 13 AI bills have been introduced to Congress, with the TAKE IT DOWN Act advancing. These bills provide an insight into the types of AI legislation the new Congress may consider. Antitrust Co-chair Bruce Sokler, ML Strategies Executive Vice President and Director of Operations Alex Hecht, Senior Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld, and Senior Project Analyst Matthew Tikhonovsky discuss how the bills introduced so far target specific AI-related harms and largely leave AI in the private sector alone. https://bit.ly/4iMofNS

Our women attorneys are invaluable to our clients, the Mintz community, and beyond. Their outstanding work, excellence, and contributions are celebrated not only by us but also by the businesses they support. Visit the link below to read what our clients have to say about the Women at Mintz. https://bit.ly/43LOYpv

A Mintz team recently advised SightLine Applications, LLC, a leading developer of onboard video processors and processing software for advanced camera systems and applications, backed by Artemis, on its acquisition of Athena AI (Acquired by Sightline Applications), an Australia-based specialist in AI-enabled computer vision and decision support for defense applications. The Mintz team included Private Equity Practice Co-chair Greg Fine, Members David Conway and Matt Gautier, and Associates Garrett Galvin and Charlie Russak. Riccardo (Ricky) Casali and Sara McDiamond of Corrs Chambers Westgarth led the Australian aspects of the transaction. Learn more about this acquisition here. https://bit.ly/4itifK8