The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has published its annual Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2016. The Work Plan summarizes new and ongoing reviews and activities that OIG plans to pursue with respect to federal health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, during the current fiscal year and beyond. Work Plan agenda items for Nursing Homes, Home Health and Hospice are summarized below. Continue reading “OIG Issues Annual Work Plan/Long-Term Care Provider Initiatives Included”
OIG Issues Guide For Health Care Boards on Compliance Oversight
On April 20, 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG“) published its “Practical Guidance for Health Care Governing Boards on Compliance Oversight” (the “Guide“). The Guide was prepared in collaboration with the Association of Healthcare Internal Auditors, the American Health Lawyers Association, the Health Care Compliance Association, and according to the Guide, provides tips to health care boards (“Boards“) on four categories: “(1) roles of, and relationships between, the organization’s audit, compliance, and legal departments; (2) mechanism and process for issue-reporting within an organization; (3) approach to identifying regulatory risk; and (4) methods of encouraging enterprise-wide accountability for achievement of compliance goals and objectives.” While not a legally binding document, the Guide provides helpful insight for Boards and underscores best practices in these areas. Continue reading “OIG Issues Guide For Health Care Boards on Compliance Oversight”
Increased Government Scrutiny of Physician-Owned Device Distributorships
On March 26, 2013, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) increased its scrutiny of and pressure on physician-owned entities (particularly medical device distributorships) by issuance of a Special Fraud Alert. Although there is nothing specifically new or different from positions taken previously by the OIG regarding physician-owned distributorships (PODs), the Special Fraud Alert clarifies that the “OIG is concerned about the proliferation of PODs.” In other words, the position previously adopted by the OIG has not prevented physicians and medical device companies from designing arrangements that trouble the OIG.
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HHS OIG Notice Seeks Comments on Safe Harbors, Special Fraud Alerts
Once a year, as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) solicits proposals to develop new or revised anti-kickback, fraud and abuse safe harbors. The OIG published its request for proposals for new or revised safe harbors in the December 29, 2011 Federal Register. The notice also seeks comments on developing special fraud alerts.
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OIG’s 2012 Work Plan For Nursing Facilities: Same Fraud, Different Enforcement
Recently, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) published its Work Plan for fiscal year 2012 (“Work Plan”) and delineated focus points for nursing facilities and new enforcement in 2012. The Work Plan is not much different than previous work plans with the exception of increased areas of enforcement, as well as a few new areas to be looked at by OIG.
Continue reading “OIG’s 2012 Work Plan For Nursing Facilities: Same Fraud, Different Enforcement”