HHS adjusts maximum civil monetary penalties for inflation

The Department of Health and Human Services today published an interim final rule that adjusts for inflation the maximum civil monetary penalties that HHS agencies are authorized to assess or enforce under 2015 amendments to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act. The rule implements a mandated “catch up” adjustment to the CMP levels, which will be updated annually for inflation going forward. The adjusted amounts apply only to civil penalties assessed after Aug. 1, 2016, for associated violations occurring after Nov. 2, 2015.