The Roundtable
Welcome to the Roundtable, a forum for incisive commentary and analysis
on cases and developments in law and the legal system.
on cases and developments in law and the legal system.
 Image Source: https://pixabay.com/ By Pragat Patel
Pragat Patel is a sophomore at the College of Arts and Sciences studying neuroscience and philosophy. For the past 50 years, patients have faced unwieldy wording in medical billing that limits their ability to effectively grasp the extent of the financing. Insurance companies and healthcare companies in general introduced new charges and never gave a comprehensive outlook on what the patient should anticipate. The No Surprises Act, effective from January 1, 2022, is a law enacted with the aim of easing this burden and protecting patients from unexpected bills and changes—aptly referred to as “surprise billing” [1]. These bills typically arrived when patients received care from out-of-network providers, who did not have a direct seamless financing process with the companies involved [2]. While the new legislation is a significant step towards greater transparency in healthcare billing, its effectiveness remains a subject of debate.
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 By Aaron Tsui
Aaron Tsui is a sophomore studying computer engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science interested in technology law and intellectual property. When it comes to law, most people immediately think of a case relating to criminal, civil, or corporate matters; however, one of the most important, yet often overlooked, areas of law is that of intellectual property (IP), specifically covering patents, trademarks, copyright, and trade secrets. From the lightbulb to Apple’s iconic logo to famous songs, intellectual property law has a wide range of applications that continue to facilitate a constantly improving and innovating society.  Image Source: Tim Douglas from Pexels By Michael Merolla
Michael Merolla is a first-year student at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences studying Political Science. In the 1996 Christmas comedy Jingle All the Way, Arnold Schwarzenneggar and Sinbad ferociously battled each other for an all-important prize: a Turbo-Man toy. [1] The lighthearted film encapsulated the longstanding public perception of Christmas shopping, conjuring images of desperate parents racing through brick-and-mortar stores to fulfill their children’s wishlists. In today’s digital age, millions of American parents now turn to online retailers each year to purchase the season’s most sought after gifts. However, a new competitor has been born from the e-commerce revolution: grinch bots.  Image Source: Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash By Aaron Tsui
Aaron Tsui is a sophomore studying computer engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science interested in technology law and intellectual property. While many may be familiar with their fundamental constitutional rights and basic laws that protect them, in an age where the world is becoming increasingly digitized, it is not only imperative that legislation stays on pace with developing technology, but also critical that individuals themselves remain aware of the extent to which current laws and regulations protect their online presence.  By Catherine Tang
Catherine Tang is a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Health and Societies with a concentration in Health Policy & Law. In December 2023, JoAnne Barrows and Susan Hagwood filed a class action lawsuit in Kentucky against Humana. The plaintiffs alleged that the health insurer had used an AI model called nHPredict to wrongfully deny medically necessary Medicare Advantage claims to elderly and disabled patients despite knowing that approximately 90% of the tools’ denials on coverage were faulty [1]. This marks one of the first formal lawsuits brought against the use of artificial intelligence (AI) specifically in the healthcare industry, yet the groundwork for AI medical applications had been laid as early as the 1950s [2]. However, nearly eight decades later, the United States still lacks a well-defined regulatory structure for AI use in medicine.  By Tyler Ringhofer
Tyler is a freshman in the College from Orange County, CA studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Tyler's interests include the relationship between business, law, and sports. "The future is cryptocurrency”— or is it? In November 2022, one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchange firms in the world, FTX Trading Ltd., went bankrupt. FTX is a cryptocurrency trading company that buys and sells crypto derivatives. This scandal, which became notorious in the digital currency world, increased public distrust in the cryptocurrency industry as a whole.[1] Thus, the ramifications of this event elicit several legal implications on the part of FTX’s CEO Sam Bankman-Fried including indictments on fraud and related crimes.  Aaron Tsui is a sophomore studying computer engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science interested in technology law and intellectual property.
As the group of multinational tech companies, collectively known as “big tech,” continue to dominate the technology industry and landscape, the judicial system has seen proportionate surges in antitrust cases. Big tech companies such as Apple, Google, Facebook/Meta, and Amazon have all faced the scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in regards to unfair competition or antitrust, with many of these cases still ongoing.  By Pratama Tambunan
Pratama is an exchange student through the IGSP Program interested in international disputes and environmental law. On July 3, 2023, the High Court of England and Wales took an unfamiliar step in applying the well-known public policy exception. [1] This exception, enshrined in Section 103 of the Arbitration Act 1996, aligns itself with the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (“NY Convention”) and is rarely applied by English Courts. It essentially provides a mechanism to refuse the enforcement of a foreign arbitral award on the grounds that it conflicts with certain rules of public policy. However, what was fascinating in this case was the manner in which the Court came into their opinion. Uniquely, when deciding the case, the court rejected the enforcement of a US arbitration award against a UK consumer by citing a violation of crucial provisions within the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (“CRA”) and the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”) as the basis of public policy.  Image Source: https://libreshot.com/cctv-camera-on-modern-building/ By Alexandra Kerrigan
Aly Kerrigan is a second-year student at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences majoring in urban studies. Amid escalating concerns regarding racial justice in recent years, police system reform has emerged as one of the most salient topics in politics. Several competing visions for the future of policing have emerged within the United States—with some cities adopting an abolition approach, others opting to defund their police systems, and many maintaining or increasing their police presence. American politicians can glean valuable insights by examining the routes taken by foreign cities that have similarly been urged to reform their police systems. In response to a 2013 terrorist attack, Hyderabad, India, is one of such cities rethinking its policing efforts. Within the last decade, Hyderabad has transformed its police system into a technologically advanced surveillance network, yielding mixed reviews from the public.  By Catherine Tang
Catherine Tang is a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Health and Societies with a concentration in Health Policy & Law. Despite its first human diagnosis in the 1930s, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) continues to remain a global health crisis nearly a century later. In the U.S. alone, there were 32,100 estimated new HIV infections in 2021 with an infection rate of 11.5 (per 100,000 people) [1]. Fortunately, due to modern scientific advances, it is possible to prevent infection. Treatments like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce the risk of contracting HIV by 99% [2]. |
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