OIG Revises Self-Disclosure Protocol

On November 8, 2021, The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a revised and renamed Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol (SDP), now known as the “Health Care Fraud Self Disclosure “protocol. The SDP was created in 1998, and the protocol can be used to voluntarily identify, disclose and resolve instances of potential fraud involving federal healthcare programs. As described on the OIG website, “Self-disclosures give persons the opportunity to avoid the costs and disruptions associated with a Government-directed investigation and civil or administrative litigation.”Continue reading

Genetic Testing: Be Hopeful but Wary

Genetic tests are valuable because they can provide important information to patients and their medical providers regarding diagnoses, treatment, and disease prevention. However, the rapid growth in the number of tests ordered, especially in light of the telemedicine expansion during the pandemic, has invited well-earned scrutiny to the industry.

Make no mistake: genetic testing is heavily regulated (and enforced). The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, and Commercial Insurance Fraud Law have all been used to prosecute unscrupulous marketers, call centers, and telemedicine providers in the last few months. Kickbacks in exchange for genetic specimens are just as illegal as kickbacks for patients. Three months ago, a Florida man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. His actions resulted in the submission of approximately $3.3 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing.Continue reading

Medicare Enforcement: CMS Has Expanded Its Ability to Revoke or Deny Provider Enrollment

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medicare enforcementBy: Karina Gonzalez

A Final Rule recently issued by CMS will require Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) providers and suppliers to disclose current and previous affiliations (direct or indirect) with a provider or supplier that: (1)  has uncollected debt; (2) has been or is excluded by the OIG (Office of Inspector General) from Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP, or (3) has had its billing privileges with either of these three programs denied or revoked. Such provider affiliations may lead to enrollment being denied if it poses a risk to fraud, waste or abuse.Continue reading

The Truth About Healthcare Regulatory Compliance

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medical practice complianceBy: Jeff Cohen

Healthcare regulatory compliance is too damn complicated sounding and scary!  What the heck does it even mean?  Basically it means making sure you’re following about a dozen specific laws, some of which interrelate.  It’s a little like making a cake.  You have to make sure you have flour, eggs, sugar and so on.  And then you have to make sure you put enough in the bowl and bake it at the right temperature.  So what’s so unique re healthcare regulatory compliance?  Healthcare professionals and businesses are inundated by these confusing laws written in legalese, to the point where they go numb.  They lose the ability to focus on them and to take them seriously.  And they hire someone that uses the word “consultant” or “compliance”; and they think they’ve got compliance covered.  But they don’t.  And that’s a big mistake in the healthcare world!Continue reading