Malpractice and Medical Treatment That Doesn't Work

Patients frequently can recover damages if they are harmed by their doctors or healthcare professionals, if they can prove that the care that they received constituted medical malpractice.

Validity of Noncompete Clauses in Physicians' Contracts

In general, noncompete covenants in physicians' contracts require the physician to agree not to compete with his or her employer for a certain period of time within a certain geographical area. Ordinarily, noncompete covenants in employment contracts will be upheld if they are not too broad in time or in area.

Medicaid Coverage for Gastric Bypass Surgery

The federal Medicare program has recently eliminated language stating that obesity is not a disease. Medicare will cover gastric bypass surgery if it is medically necessary and if the patient has another disease that is caused or exacerbated by obesity. Whether a particular Medicaid recipient qualifies to receive gastric bypass surgery depends on the qualification standards applicable in the recipient's state.

National School Lunch Program

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to more than 26 million children each school day. Under the NSLP, schools are required to serve lunches that are consistent with the applicable recommendations of the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Restraining Children in Medical Facilities

Restraint and seclusion are sometimes necessary when children with psychiatric disorders are treated in hospitals or other non-psychiatric medical facilities. The Child Health Act of 2000 protects such children from unnecessary restraint or seclusion when they are confined in public or private general medical facilities that receive federal funds.